The effects of physical characteristics of the environment and feeding regime on the behavior of captive felids

Abstract

The behavior of captive felids is influenced by enclosure design and management regime. The behavior of nine felid species housed in 11 enclosures was recorded using instantaneous scan sampling. Stereotypic pacing was observed in 15 out of 19 individuals.Size of enclosure did not affect pacing behavior, but edges of enclosures were found to be used specifically for pacing behavior. Cats in relatively larger enclosures had a higher level of apparent movement, but only about 50% of enclosure space was used. Raised areas such as tree branches were found to be preferred sites in enclosures, particularly for observation of surroundings. The feeding regime was found to affect stereotypic pacing levels. Cats fed on a 3 day cycle paced more on fast days than on days they were fed. Although not statistically significant, 6 out of 7 of these cats paced more in the hour after feeding, whereas the cats fed daily paced more in the hour before feeding. Further research is required to understand the relationship between feeding and stereotypic behavior.

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

“…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.…”

“…However, such individual variability of response when facing enrichments may also be influenced by differences of environmental conditions among different captivities. In fact, different sizes and structures of captive environments affect the behavior of individuals of several wild cat species (Lyons et al 1997). Moreover, differences of wild cats being individually housed or grouped in captivities may also affect individual responses to enrichments (e.g., Bond & Lindburg 1990).…”

Effect of cognitive enrichment on behavior, mucosal immunity and upper respiratory disease of shelter cats rated as frustrated on arrival

“…Non-domestic felids are driven to roam over a wide territory to hunt (Carlstead et al, 1993;Lyons et al, 1997), which when thwarted in captivity makes them prone to pacing (Clubb and Vickery, 2005) in response to lack of stimulation and frustration (Mohapatra et al, 2014).…”

Frustrated Appetitive Foraging Behavior, Stereotypic Pacing, and Fecal Glucocorticoid Levels in Snow Leopards (Uncia uncia) in the Zurich Zoo

“…High temperatures, which are atypical for the snow leopard's natural habitat (Sunquist & Sunquist, 2002), were related to increased glucocorticoid levels in F2 and to a shift in stereotypic pacing toward the cooler evening in F1 (see Fischbacher & Schmid, 1999, for more temperature effects on stereotypic pacing in captive carnivores). It is understood that a multitude of other environmental and social factors might have influenced our findings, for they also play a critical role in determining the behavioral and physiological responses of felids to captivity (Clubb & Mason, 2003;Gusset, 2003;Law, Macdonald, & Reid, 1997;Lyons, Young, & Deag, 1997;Mellen, 1991;Mellen, Hayes, & Shepherdson, 1998;Mellen & Shepherdson, 1997). Considering these factors is equally important in maintaining not only numerically and genetically but also behaviorally healthy captive populations of endangered species like snow leopards (Carlstead & Shepherdson, 1994;Shepherdson, 1994).…”