Loading...
Publication
Behavioral budgets and effects of environmental enrichment on the activities of sea otters (Enhydra Lutris) at Oceanário de Lisboa
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.01 MB | Adobe PDF |
Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Animais ao cuidado humano vivem em ambientes artificiais que são previsíveis e
estruturados, o que poderá inibir a expressão de vários padrões de comportamento, promovendo
desta forma comportamentos anormais e estereotipados. Uma forma de mitigar estes
comportamentos é através da aplicação de programas específicos de enriquecimento ambiental,
como a introdução de brinquedos. Para uma avaliação mais ampla da adequação dos cuidados
prestados às espécies ex-situ e dos impactos associados ao bem-estar, a medição
comportamental é essencial. Uma forma de medição, é mediante os budgets comportamentais,
a percentagem de tempo dedicada a diferentes comportamentos. Este estudo visa criar um
etograma dos comportamentos mais comuns das lontras marinhas do Oceanário de Lisboa, com
o intuito de calcular os budgets comportamentais destes animais, e ao mesmo tempo, quantificar
e comparar o impacto de diferentes itens de enriquecimento no seu comportamento. Concluiuse com este estudo que as duas lontras passaram uma boa porção de tempo a interagir com os
itens de enriquecimento, tendo em consideração o único estudo encontrado sobre este tema.
Também ficou claro que quanto maior o brinquedo, maior o número de interações das lontras
com o brinquedo. Relativamente às situações de isolamento, ambos os tipos de itens avaliados
representaram boas soluções de enriquecimento ambiental, pois apesar das lontras marinhas
interagirem mais com os SITs (Ice Treats Pequenos) do que com os BTs (Brinquedos Grandes),
se os SITs fossem administrados constantemente poderiam criar ansiedade nestes animais.
Assim, a oferta de BTs que ofereçam desafios cognitivos também é fundamental.
ABSTRACT: Animals in controlled conditions live in artificial environments that are predictable and structured which can inhibit the expression of numerous behavior patterns, promoting abnormal and stereotyped behaviors. One way to mitigate these behaviors is by applying specific programs of environmental enrichment like the introduction of toys. For a broader assessment of the adequacy of care provided to ex-situ species and associated welfare impacts, behavioral measurement is essential. One form of measure is the behavioral budget, the percentage of time dedicated to different behaviors. This study aims to create an ethogram of Oceanário de Lisboa sea otters’ most common behaviors with the intention of calculating the behavioral budgets of these animals and at the same time quantifying and comparing the impact of different enrichment items on their behavior. In this study, it was concluded that both sea otters spent a good fraction of time interacting with enrichment items considering the results of the only study found on this topic. It was also clear that the larger the toy, the greater the number of interactions sea otters had with it. Relatively to isolation situations, both item types evaluated represented good environmental enrichment solutions because despite sea otters interacting more with SITs (Small Ice Treats) than BTs (Big Toys), if SITs were given constantly could create anxiety in these animals. So, the supply of BTs that offers cognitive challenges is also fundamental.
ABSTRACT: Animals in controlled conditions live in artificial environments that are predictable and structured which can inhibit the expression of numerous behavior patterns, promoting abnormal and stereotyped behaviors. One way to mitigate these behaviors is by applying specific programs of environmental enrichment like the introduction of toys. For a broader assessment of the adequacy of care provided to ex-situ species and associated welfare impacts, behavioral measurement is essential. One form of measure is the behavioral budget, the percentage of time dedicated to different behaviors. This study aims to create an ethogram of Oceanário de Lisboa sea otters’ most common behaviors with the intention of calculating the behavioral budgets of these animals and at the same time quantifying and comparing the impact of different enrichment items on their behavior. In this study, it was concluded that both sea otters spent a good fraction of time interacting with enrichment items considering the results of the only study found on this topic. It was also clear that the larger the toy, the greater the number of interactions sea otters had with it. Relatively to isolation situations, both item types evaluated represented good environmental enrichment solutions because despite sea otters interacting more with SITs (Small Ice Treats) than BTs (Big Toys), if SITs were given constantly could create anxiety in these animals. So, the supply of BTs that offers cognitive challenges is also fundamental.
Description
Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no Ispa – Instituto
Universitário para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Mestre em Biologia
Marinha e Conservação
Keywords
Budget comportamental Comportamento Itens de enriquecimento Behavioral budget Behavior and enrichment items