Behavioural efficacy of environmental enrichment in the reduction of stereotypy in two captive vicugna (Vicugna vicugna)

Parker, Matthew, Goodwin, Deborah, Redhead, Edward and Mitchell, Heidi (2005) Behavioural efficacy of environmental enrichment in the reduction of stereotypy in two captive vicugna (Vicugna vicugna). Kusunose, Ryo and Shusuke, Sato (eds.) In Proceedings of the 39th International Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology. ISAE2005. p.98 .

Abstract

Increasing foraging behaviour and promoting substrate choice as methods for reducing stereotypy in captive animals are widely practised and generally accepted as effective. In the present study we examined the efficacy of offering foraging patch and substrate choice in an attempt to reduce motor stereotypy in two captive vicugna (F1 and F2). Browse were added to the vicugna’s enclosure as an additional forage substrate and also split the vicugna’s normal feed: half being delivered outside of the sleeping enclosure and half inside to offer a split patch choice. The study employed an ABACA design (A: Baseline, B: Browse, C: Split Feed). There was a significant effect for condition, P = 0.017. T-tests revealed a significant condition effect in F1 between the Browse and Baseline one, P < 0.05 with the frequency of stereotypy during the Browse condition being higher. In addition in F1, a higher frequency of stereotypy was observed during the Browse condition as compared to Baseline two and this approached significance, P = 0.06. T-tests revealed several significant inter-condition differences in F2. The frequency of stereotypy during the Browse condition was significantly higher than during Baseline one, P < 0.05, Baseline 2, P < 0.01 and the Split Feed condition, P < 0.05. The frequency of stereotypy was also significantly higher in the Baseline 3 condition than in the Split Feed condition, P = 0.05. In the wild, vicugna are the only camelids who sleep and eat in different areas. However, the subjects used for the present study were fed in their sleeping enclosure. The decrease in stereotypy during the split-feed condition may be indicative the relative reinforcer value of stereotypy as compared to simulated wildtype foraging opportunities. The reason the browse increased stereotypy may be because it represented a supernormal stimulus.

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Contributors

Author: Edward Redhead

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