The effect of visitor number and spice provisioning in pacing expression by jaguars evaluated through a case study

Abstract

Captive animals exhibit stereotypic pacing in response to multiple causes, including the inability to escape from human contact. Environmental enrichment techniques can minimize pacing expression. By using an individual-based approach, we addressed whether the amount of time two males and a female jaguar (Panthera onca) devote to pacing varied with the number of visitors and tested the effectiveness of cinnamon and black pepper in reducing pacing. The amount of time that all jaguars engaged in pacing increased significantly with the number of visitors. Despite the difference between the males regarding age and housing conditions, both devoted significantly less time to pacing following the addition of both spices, which indicates their suitability as enrichment techniques. Mean time devoted to pacing among the treatments did not differ for the female. Our findings pointed out to the validity of individual-based approaches, as they can reveal how suitable olfactory stimuli are to minimizing stereotypies irrespective of particular traits.Keywords: behavior, jaguar, pacing, Panthera onca, public exposure, spice provisioning.O efeito do número de visitantes e do provisionamento de especiaria na expressão do pacing por onças-pintadas avaliado por estudo de caso ResumoAnimais cativos exibem a estereotipia pacing em resposta a múltiplos fatores, os quais incluem a incapacidade de escapar da exposição ao público. As técnicas de enriquecimento ambiental podem minimizar a expressão do pacing. Usando uma abordagem individual, nós investigamos se a extensão de tempo que dois machos e uma fêmea de onça-pintada (Panthera onca) dispendem com pacing variou em função do número de visitantes e testamos a eficácia da canela e da pimenta-do-reino na redução do pacing. A extensão de tempo em pacing aumentou significativamente com o número de visitantes para todos os indivíduos. Apesar da diferença entre os machos com relação à idade e às condições no cativeiro, ambos devotaram ao pacing menos tempo após a administração das duas especiarias, o que indica a adequabilidade dessas como técnicas de enriquecimento. Para a fêmea, o tempo médio dispendido com pacing não variou entre os tratamentos. Nossos resultados respaldam a validade da realização de abordagens individuais, uma vez que essas podem revelar o grau de eficácia dos estímulos olfativos na minimização de estereotipias independentemente de características particulares.Palavras-chave: comportamento, onça-pintada, pacing, Panthera onca, exposição pública, especiaria no enriquecimento.

Effects of Environmental Enrichments on the Behaviors of Four Captive Jaguars: Individuality Matters

“…Moreover, the results support the hypothesis that the environmental enrichments improved the conditions of the four jaguars, regardless the individual variation of response, as indicated by behavioral changes expressed by all tested jaguars, like a reduction in 'inactivity' and an increase in activity-related behaviors. Considering that there are, to our knowledge, only a few peer-reviewed publications in this area for jaguars in zoos (Charlton 1998, Skibiel et al 2007, Castillo-Guevara et al 2012, Vidal et al 2016, and that a systematic assessment of the environmental enrichment effects is the exception (Mellen & MacPhee 2001), the study reported here also adds to this literature. The jaguars expressed some responses that were common for the four tested individuals.…”

“…This may indicate behavioral plasticity or differences related to the different physiological/environmental conditions of the jaguars. In fact, Sellinger & Ha (2005) demonstrated different responses between two captive jaguars exposed to public visitation and also Vidal et al (2016) found individual differences of three jaguars exposed to spice environmental enrichment. Moreover, these findings agree with studies evaluating environmental enrichment effects in other wild cat species, which found significant individual variability of response (Bond & Lindburg 1990, McPhee 2002, Van Metter et al 2008.…”

“…Considering wild cats, which are common animals in zoos expressing some kind of stereotype or much inactivity, deserving more attention to environmental enrichment programs, many studies have reported a significant individual variation of response when these animals are exposed to environmental enrichments (Bond & Lindburg 1990, Lyons et al 1997, McPhee 2002, Van Metter et al 2008, Vidal et al 2016. This individual response is so significant that other studies have even focused on the effects of enrichments on the behaviors of just one animal (e.g., Markowitz 1995, Walters 2003.…”

“…In this way, considering that poor animal-welfare conditions may also threaten reproduction in zoos, there is a need to seek approaches that improve the conditions of these animals, such as by providing and monitoring the effects of different environmental enrichments. Despite of this, as far as we know, just few peer-reviewed papers considered the effects of environmental enrichments on the behaviors of jaguars (Charlton 1998, Skibiel et al 2007, Castillo-Guevara et al 2012, Vidal et al 2016. In this context, the effects of several environmental enrichments on the behavior of four captive jaguars were individually evaluated here.…”

Influence of Cinnamon on the behavior of Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica, Temminck, 1844) in captivity

“…Olfactory enrichment is a common approach for addressing stereotypic behavior in captivity animals. Success has been found in olfactory stimulation via the introduction of novel scents (Resende et al, 2011;Vidal et al, 2016;Antonenko, Medvedeva, Panchuk, 2017;Antonenko, Ulitina, Pysarev, 2018). The purpose of the investigation is to establish special aspects of the behavior of the Amur Tiger (Panthera tigris altaica, Linnaeus, 1758) and sensory enrichment with cinnamon oil (Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Blume).…”