Environmental Enrichment

Includes structural, behavioral, food, and auditory enrichment.

Wooddell, L. J., Beisner, B., Hannibal, Darcy L. et al. 2019. Increased produce enrichment reduces trauma in socially-housed captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 81(12), e23073.

Due to primate adaptations for sociality, captive rhesus macaques have optimal welfare and utility as a biomedical model when they can be maintained in outdoor social groups. As a despotic species; however, aggression can result...

Read more about Wooddell, L. J., Beisner, B., Hannibal, Darcy L. et al. 2019. Increased produce enrichment reduces trauma in socially-housed captive rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 81(12), e23073.

White, K. 2019. Effects of captivity on the activity budgets of lar gibbons (Hylobates lar). Canopy 20(1), 43-45.

The keeping of gibbons in a captive environment and recreating an appropriate habitat is essential to enable them to exhibit species-specific behaviour. This research was designed to provide baseline data on the activity budgets of...

Read more about White, K. 2019. Effects of captivity on the activity budgets of lar gibbons (Hylobates lar). Canopy 20(1), 43-45.

Arnaud-James, L. 2019. The effects of structural and feeding enrichments on captive western hoolock gibbons at the rehabilitation and release centre HURO Programme, India. Canopy 20(1), 15-18.

The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of different enrichments in various enclosures in a gibbon rehabilitation centre in the northeast of India. The results show a greater interaction with the feeding...

Read more about Arnaud-James, L. 2019. The effects of structural and feeding enrichments on captive western hoolock gibbons at the rehabilitation and release centre HURO Programme, India. Canopy 20(1), 15-18.

Matsuzawa, T. 2020. WISH cages: Constructing multiple habitats for captive chimpanzees. Primates 61(2), 139–148.

This article aims to introduce environmental enrichment for captive chimpanzees in Japan in a historical context. It describes the most recent endeavor of constructing huge cages and connecting multiple habitats. The Ai Project, a series...

Read more about Matsuzawa, T. 2020. WISH cages: Constructing multiple habitats for captive chimpanzees. Primates 61(2), 139–148.

Serres, A., Hao, Y., Wang, D. 2020. Swimming features in captive odontocetes: Indicative of animals’ emotional state? Behavioural Processes 170, 103998.

Captive welfare studies in odontocete species have been mostly conducted on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) while the welfare of many other species’ -including endangered species- remains poorly studied. More research is needed to find and...

Read more about Serres, A., Hao, Y., Wang, D. 2020. Swimming features in captive odontocetes: Indicative of animals’ emotional state? Behavioural Processes 170, 103998.

Burn, C. C., Raffle, J., Bizley, J. K. 2020. Does 'playtime' reduce stimulus-seeking and other boredom-like behaviour in laboratory ferrets? Animal Welfare 29(1), 19-26.

Much environmental enrichment for laboratory animals is intended to enhance animal welfare and normalcy by providing stimulation to reduce 'boredom'. Behavioural manifestations of boredom include restless sensation-seeking behaviours combined with indicators of sub-optimal arousal. Here...

Read more about Burn, C. C., Raffle, J., Bizley, J. K. 2020. Does 'playtime' reduce stimulus-seeking and other boredom-like behaviour in laboratory ferrets? Animal Welfare 29(1), 19-26.

Sandgrav Bak, A., Malmkvist, J. 2020. Barren housing and negative handling decrease the exploratory approach in farmed mink. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104901.

We examined the influence of cage enrichment and different types of short-term experiences on the temperament of farmed mink. We used juvenile Palomino mink (n = 600, housed in pairs of one male and one female) in...

Read more about Sandgrav Bak, A., Malmkvist, J. 2020. Barren housing and negative handling decrease the exploratory approach in farmed mink. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104901.

Baxter, M., Richmond, A., Lavery, U. et al. 2020. Investigating optimal levels of platform perch provision for windowed broiler housing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 225, 104967.

Broiler chickens show a preference for platform perches over traditional bar perches. Further information is needed on the optimal provision of these perches in order for them to be successfully installed in commercial systems. This...

Read more about Baxter, M., Richmond, A., Lavery, U. et al. 2020. Investigating optimal levels of platform perch provision for windowed broiler housing. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 225, 104967.

van den Oever, A. C. M., Rodenburg, T. B., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2020. Relative preference for wooden nests affects nesting behaviour of broiler breeders. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104883.

Optimising nest design for broiler breeders has benefits for both the animals and the producers. The welfare of the hens will increase by providing preferred housing, while also reducing eggs laid outside the nests. These...

Read more about van den Oever, A. C. M., Rodenburg, T. B., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2020. Relative preference for wooden nests affects nesting behaviour of broiler breeders. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104883.

Baker, S. L., Robison, C. I., Karcher, D. M. et al. 2020. Keel impacts and associated behaviors in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104886.

Factors contributing to the development of keel bone damage are not well understood. This study aimed to identify behaviors and cage structures associated with acceleration events experienced by individual hens at their keels as the...

Read more about Baker, S. L., Robison, C. I., Karcher, D. M. et al. 2020. Keel impacts and associated behaviors in laying hens. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104886.

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