Behavior Conservation Through Environmental Enrichment

Behavior conservation through environmental enrichment. An experimental tool for species preservation.

Background:

The list of endangered species is expanding and the prospects for them are not promising. It is time to consider "safety net" solutions for as many species as possible in zoos to provide a buffer from extinction. These solutions are aimed at stabilizing populations from going an irreversible way- extinction. The scope of a comprehensive plan ranges from physical aspects, like breeding programs, to behavioral aspects, dealing with those behaviors which characterize an animal as a member of a species. A species can be considered extinct before the last member dies, when typical species behavior, evolved over eons, disappears.

Is it worth trying? The answer is not simple. Only increasing global awareness of the environment can provide a chance for wildlife to survive in natural habitats. But modern history shows nothing is impossible so I consider providing a "safety net" a worthy idea. After all, extinction is forever.

At end of 1999 I was introduced to the idea of environmental enrichment while studying the issue of captive wildlife in Israel. It occurred to me that since enrichment means animal's activity, why not also try to preserve patterns of behavior and natural skills while improving animal welfare through enrichment? Current zoo wildlife management shares this philosophy but thorough scientific work is needed in order to make environmental enrichment a conservation tool which can aid efforts to reintroduce animals into natural habitat. The Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) generously supported a preliminary study, in which I outline possible steps in designing objects and methods for stimulating natural behaviors and skills in captive animals.

Is it possible to perform training for animals in captivity ?

This leopard cub Masai, encouraged me.

Antelope like model

video of leopard in action mpg or avi format

Antelope like model - The design.

This is my first design, developed initially for feline cubs. The basic platform is a rounded barrel hanging from the top of the cage, wrapped with a coconut fiber rug, capable of various movements by springs and joints. A pvc pipe goes through the barrel which contains a free moving rope with bones tied at its ends. Soil, saturated with urine from the deer yard, is placed on the barrel.

The object may seem to be a simple environmental enrichment device. In many respects it is, and keeps the animal challenged for hours. While simple, it tries to add behavior shaping by creating motivation. It involves trial and error experimenting and thus learning, observing conspecifics (siblings or mother), and offers interactivity due to its technical properties. Specific skills characterizing predatory behavior were addressed in this design including locomotion, spatial perception and other senses. More scientific work is required to create a long term program for each species based on the natural history of the species and hard data. The full movie we have filmed shows that the cubs gradually learn to deal with the object. This preliminary result is encouraging and I hope to conduct a more substantial studies, with the ultimate test being reintroduction.

Motivating curiosity in bears, use of hands and manipulating objects.

picture of one bear

A brief history of a wildlife enthusiast

By the third year of my studies in the "Animal Sciences" department, I had acquired basic knowledge about animals, ranging from physiology to ecology and pathology and had gained enough confidence to approach the issue of wildlife conservation from a professional point of view.
Involving myself with daily management of wild animals I observed and identified some issues whose consideration could lead to better management.
For instance:
Unconventional food additives :
For felines case, it was regular additions of fresh herbal supplement in order to balance gastric acidity, and initiate anti peristalsis intended to orally excrete hair swallowed by constant self licking.
Elephants (Asian as well as African) were given fresh tree branches.
Another improvement: I experimentally identified relaxing sounds for felines, which might be used for stress reduction.

On a higher level, the mental development of young animals in captivity. and adult mental well being was addressed. The introduction of environmental enrichment included the use of different smells of ungulate excretions with Siberian tigers. I realized that successful enrichment requires activation of the capabilities and characters of a particular species. Bears were given pumpkins filled with fruits and vegetables, allowing them to express their natural curiosity and the physical capability of "hand use". An old jaguar had fish introduced into his pond one morning enabling him to use almost the forgotten capabilities of fishing for which this impressive animal is renowned.

My last project (The "antelope like stimulating object") for which I was granted the Kaye Award for innovation by the Hebrew University, is a behavioral study on stimulation of young predators, especially felines.

I would like to thank Professor Dan Heller of the Animal Sciences Department for academic support at the Hebrew University and to Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) for their generous support for the leopard project. The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo supported the bear project, and the Ramat Gan Zoological Center for making the leopard study possible.

Correspondence:
Nir Sitvani
e-mail: nirs@altavista.net