Refinement Database

Database on Refinement of Housing, Husbandry, Care, and Use of Animals in Research

This database, created in 2000, is updated every four months with newly published scientific articles, books, and other publications related to improving or safeguarding the welfare of animals used in research.

Tips for using the database:

  • This landing page displays all of the publications in the database.
  • Use the drop-down menus to filter these publications by Animal Type, Setting, and/or Topic.
  • Clicking on a parent category (e.g., Rodent) will include publications relating to all the items in that category (e.g., Chinchilla, Gerbil, Guinea Pig, etc.).
  • You may also add a keyword to further narrow your search.
  • Please note that at this time, only publications dated 2010 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Animal Type and Topic, and only publications dated 2020 or later (with some exceptions) can be filtered by Setting. Most publications older than 2010 can only be searched by keyword. 
Martín, O., Vinyoles, D., García-Galea, E. et al. 2016. Improving the welfare of a zoo-housed male drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis) aggressive toward visitors. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 19(4), 323-334.

Improving the welfare of nonhuman animals in captivity and maintaining behavioral competence for future conservation purposes is of the highest priority for zoos. The behavior of an aggressive male drill (Mandrillus leucophaeus poensis) was assessed...

Coelho, C. M., de Azevedo, C. S., de Barros Vaz Guimarães, M. A. et al. 2016. Environmental enrichment effect on fecal glucocorticoid metabolites and captive maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) behavior. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 19(4), 353-362.

Environmental enrichment is a technique that may reduce the stress of nonhuman animals in captivity. Stress may interfere with normal behavioral expression and affect cognitive decision making. Noninvasive hormonal studies can provide important information about...

Byrd, C. P., Winnicker, C., Gaskill, B. N. 2016. Instituting dark-colored cover to improve central space use within guinea pig enclosure. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 19(4), 408-413.

Domestic guinea pigs (Cavia aperea f. porcellus) in laboratories have been shown to actively avoid the centers of their cages. This experiment tested a novel, dark-colored “shader” placed over the central portion of a cage...

Cannon, T. H., Heistermann, M., Hankison, S. J. et al. 2016. Tailored enrichment strategies and stereotypic behavior in captive individually housed macaques (Macaca spp.). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 19(2), 171-182.

The welfare of nonhuman animals in captivity is widely dependent on the natural psychological, physical, and behavioral needs of the animals and how adequately these needs are met. Inability to engage in natural behaviors can...

Bennett, A. J., Perkins, C. M., Tenpas, P. D. et al. 2016. Moving evidence into practice: Cost analysis and assessment of Macaques' sustained behavioral engagement with videogames and foraging devices. American Journal of Primatology 78(12), 1250-1264.

Environmental enrichment plans for captive nonhuman primates often include provision of foraging devices. The rationale for using foraging devices is to promote species‐typical activity patterns that encourage physical engagement and provide multi‐sensory stimulation. However, these...

Sakuraba, Y., Tomonaga, M., Hayashi, M. 2016. A new method of walking rehabilitation using cognitive tasks in an adult chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) with a disability: A case study. Primates 57(3), 403-412.

There are few studies of long-term care and rehabilitation of animals which acquired physical disabilities in captivity, despite their importance for welfare. An adult male chimpanzee named Reo at the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto...

Hooper, J. 2016. An assessment of enrichment strategies for sanctuary housed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Canopy 17(1), 14-16.

From May- July 2014, I conducted research within a private spider monkey sanctuary, Ecoparque el Fenix, in Campeche, Mexico, home to 20 spider monkeys obtained from the illegal pet trade. Limited financial resources had resulted...

Brooker, J. S. 2016. An investigation of the auditory perception of western lowland gorillas in an enrichment study. Zoo Biology 35(5), 398-408.

Previous research has highlighted the varied effects of auditory enrichment on different captive animals. This study investigated how manipulating musical components can influence the behavior of a group of captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla...

Hooper, L. M., Shender, M. A., Ross, S. R. 2016. Behavioral research as physical enrichment for captive chimpanzees. Zoo Biology 34(4), 293-297.

In this study, we evaluated the potential for a behavioral research study, designed to evaluate chimpanzee decision‐making behavior, to also encourage increased activity in a group of zoo‐housed chimpanzees. For the behavioral study, the chimpanzees...

Cortés Duarte, A., Trujillo, F., Superina, M. 2016. Behavioral responses of three armadillo species (Mammalia: Xenarthra) to an environmental enrichment program in Villavicencio, Colombia. Zoo Biology 35(4), 304-312.

Enrichment is a powerful tool to improve the welfare of animals under human care. Stress‐related health and behavioral problems, as well as reproductive failure, are frequent in armadillos (Xenarthra, Cingulata, Dasypodidae) under human care, which...

Enser, S. 2016. Comparison of housing and welfare of group housed rabbits. Animal Technology and Welfare 15(1), 77-79.

This poster is based on welfare improvements gained from group housing rabbits in floor pens in the new Antibody Production Facility with a focus on development, behaviours and environmental enrichment in both male and female...

O'Keefe, S. 2016. Non-human primate housing facility at Newcastle University. Animal Technology and Welfare 15(2), 131-132.

Monkeys first arrived in the Comparative Biology Centre (CBC) at Newcastle University in 2000. They were housed in three small separate units consisting of steel and wooden cages. In 2011 a decision was made to...

Battilocchi, M., Fulcher, G., Windsor, Z. et al. 2016. Innovative enrichment for the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). Animal Technology and Welfare 15(2), 136-137.

As part of the enrichment programme at King’s College London (KCL) and in keeping with the guidelines of Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act, 1986 (ASPA) and the 3R’s (Russell and Burch), technologists have taken an active...

Nahallage, C. A. D., Leca, J.-B., Huffman, M. A. 2016. Stone handling, an object play behaviour in macaques: Welfare and neurological health implications of a bio-culturally driven tradition. Behaviour, 153(6-7), 845-869.

Object play in primates is viewed as generally having no immediate functional purpose, limited for the most part to immature individuals. At the proximate level, the occurrence of object play in immatures is regarded as...

Kim-McCormack, N. N. E., Smith, C. L., Behie, A. M. 2016. Is interactive technology a relevant and effective enrichment for captive great apes? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 185, 1-8.

All non-human great apes are endangered, and for these animals, captive individuals play an important role in the species’ conservation management plan. Therefore, information about their current enrichment activities is essential for maintaining a healthy...

Bozicovich, T. F. M., Moura, A. S. A. M. T., Fernandes, S. et al. 2016. Effect of environmental enrichment and composition of the social group on the behavior, welfare, and relative brain weight of growing rabbits. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 182, 72-79.

The objective of the study was to investigate if environmental enrichment and the composition of the social group would affect the behavior and relative brain weight of growing rabbits. Rabbits (72 males and 72 females)...

Bono, L., Mongillo, P., De Boni-Russo, G. et al. 2016. Effects of 2 forms of environmental enrichment on a group of captive blackbucks (Antilope cervicapra): A pilot study. Journal of Veterinary Behavior 12, 66-72.

The aim of this preliminary study was to assess the effects of 2 forms of environmental enrichment (i.e., branched tree trunk and brushes) on the behavior of a group of 8 captive blackbucks. Animals were...

Stevens, T. 2016. Biscuit feeder increases foraging in baboons and reduces biscuit waste. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 4(3) (September), 54-55.

At the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Comparative Medicine, we have a large captive colony of Olive Baboons (Papio anubis). Environmental enhancement is an integral part of the Comparative Medicine Baboon Research...

Winnicker, C., Gaskill, B., Garner, J. P. et al. 2016. A Guide to the Behavior & Enrichment of Laboratory Rodents. Charles River Laboratories.

Covering species-typical behavior as well as abnormal/malfunctional behavior and stereotypes observed in mice, rats, hamsters and gerbils, this is an excellent resource for those looking to implement or enhance an existing behavioral husbandry and enrichment...

Yamanashi, Y., Matsunaga, M., Shimada, K. et al. 2016. Introducing tool-based feeders to zoo-housed chimpanzees as a cognitive challenge: Spontaneous acquisition of new types of tool use and effects on behaviours and use of space. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(3), 147-155.

Cognitively challenging environments are vital to the welfare of captive animals. However, practical enrichment devices that can facilitate animals’ natural behaviours and accommodate individual variation are still limited. We created two types of feeders to...

Ritvo, S. E., MacDonald, S. E. 2016. Music as enrichment for Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii). Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 4(3), 156-163.

Music is commonly employed as auditory enrichment in NHP facilities under the assumption that music is as enriching for NHPs as it is for humans (Hinds et al., 2007; Lutz & Novak, 2005). The purpose...

Hanna, P., Frick, E., Kuczaj, S. 2016. A tool use task proves enriching for a captive sea otter (Enhydra lutris). Animal Behavior and Cognition 3(2), 88–94.

Environmental enrichment is used to improve an animal’s physical and psychological well-being while housed in a captive environment. Alligood and Leighty (2015) suggested that enrichment that emulates the natural and preferred behaviors of the species...

Leeds, A., Elsner, R., Lukas, K. 2016. The effect of positive reinforcement training on an adult female western lowland gorilla’s (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) rate of abnormal and aggressive behavior. Animal Behavior and Cognition 3(2), 78–87.

Positive reinforcement training (PRT) has become a widely used tool in improving the ease with which husbandry and veterinary procedures are performed for animals under human care. PRT provides positive social interaction, cognitive stimulation, and...

Crast, J., Bloomsmith, M. A., Jonesteller, T. 2015. Effects of changing housing conditions on mangabey behavior (Cercocebus atys): Spatial density, housing quality, and novelty effects. American Journal of Primatology 77(9), 1001-1014.

The separate influences of spatial density and housing quality on the behavior of captive animals are difficult to measure because the two factors are often intrinsically linked. Here, we recorded affiliative and agonistic behavior in...

Gottlieb D. H., Maier, A., Coleman, K. 2015. Evaluation of environmental and intrinsic factors that contribute to stereotypic behavior in captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 171,184-91.

Full body repetitive behaviors, known as motor stereotypic behaviors (MSBs), are one of the most commonly seen abnormal behaviors in captive non-human primates, and are frequently used as a behavioral measure of well-being. The main...