Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study

Abstract

Objects and semiochemicals may be used as enrichment in zoos. Domestic cats release Fraction 3 of Facial Pheromone (F3) by rubbing the muzzle to convey relational and territorial information. We aimed to evaluate whether and how the introduction of novel objects and scent stimuli could change the behaviour of one group (N = 5 subjects) of adult European wildcats (Felis silvestris silvestris) hosted at Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Italy. We assessed the behavioural changes following the introduction of novel objects (blocks and rags) and scent (synthetic F3) via observations over four experimental conditions (baseline, rags, F3 rags, blocks) using continuous focal animal sampling. Our results showed that no behavioural differences were found between the different conditions and the baseline, except for the condition with blocks when significantly less exploration was observed. Between conditions, wildcats performed significantly less individual explorative, affiliative, and agonistic behaviours, but more individual inactivity, when exposed to rags after F3 administration. Our findings suggest that the enrichment programme did not substantively affect the behaviour of the zoo-housed wildcats. However, the behavioural differences recorded between conditions suggest that, while novel objects introduced as visual stimuli (blocks) do not affect the wildcat behaviour, novel manipulative objects (rags) might impact their behaviour. Moreover, the changes in affiliative and agonistic behaviours displayed during the condition with exposure to rags sprayed with F3 suggest that such semiochemical could play an appeasement role within this study group.

Preliminary Study of Scent Rolling in Captive Wolves (Canis lupus L. 1758) in Response to Olfactory Enrichment

“…Scent rolling is a behaviour limited to terrestrial carnivores of a certain body size; that is, it has been observed only in large carnivores. Bertoni et al (2023) [ 44 ] investigated the impact of introducing novel objects and scent stimuli on the behaviour of adult European wildcats at the Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Italy. Wildcats displayed altered behaviours, such as reduced individual exploration and increased inactivity, when exposed to F3-sprayed rags (F3: Facial Pheromone, which is naturally released by domestic cats when they rub their muzzle against objects or surfaces), suggesting the potential behavioural effects of semiochemicals.…”