Other Animal

Positive reinforcement training improves behaviour and welfare of captive Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca)

Rescued animals, including leopards, often experience stress from routine husbandry practices such as feeding, movement, and regrouping. Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT) has emerged as a valuable tool for reducing stress and enhancing the welfare of captive animals. This study investigated...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Mane, A. M., Deshmukh, A., Gupta, B. K. 2025. Positive reinforcement training improves behaviour and welfare of captive Indian leopards (Panthera pardus fusca). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(4), 715–729.

Review of depressive-like behaviours in some group-living mammals

Thanks to animal models of depression, we are getting closer to understand the nature of this disorder in humans – but depressive disorders may not be specific only to humans. Although due to the inability to collect a verbal report...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Equine, Gibbon, Lemur, Macaque, Marine Mammal, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Ilmer, I., Smoleń, T. 2025. Review of depressive-like behaviours in some group-living mammals. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 292, 106753.

The good, the bad, the comfortable: A review of welfare practices and indicators based on the five domains model in farmed deer

Increasing consumer interest in game meat has globally expanded wild animal farming, with deer being a prominent non-traditional species farmed in numerous countries. Consequently, methods for assessing the welfare of captive animals have been developed over the last few decades,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Esattore, B., Bartošová, H., Bartošová, J. 2025. The good, the bad, the comfortable: A review of welfare practices and indicators based on the five domains model in farmed deer. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(4), 618–632.

Quantifying use of elevated surfaces for climbing Sichuan takins (Budorcas taxicolor) in human care

Sichuan takins (Budorcas taxicolor tibetana) are capable climbers whose movements in the wild appear to be driven by seasonal variations in resources. Ex situ habitats for takins frequently incorporate elevated features to encourage species-appropriate climbing. We opportunistically observed three takins...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Baskir, E., Callagy, C., Poelker, C. et al. 2025. Quantifying use of elevated surfaces for climbing Sichuan takins (Budorcas taxicolor) in human care. Zoo Biology 44(4), 377–382.

Mental Health and Well-being in Animals

Since the publication of the first edition of this book, professional and public concern for the well-being of animals has continued to increase throughout the world. Advances in research and technologies have yielded an enormous amount of new knowledge about...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General, Baboon, Bird, Capuchin, Cat, Chicken, Chimpanzee, Crocodile & Alligator, Dog, Equine, Fish, Gibbon, Goat, Lemur, Lizard, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Parrot, Pig, Rabbit, Reptile, Salmon, Sheep, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Trout, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: McMillan, F. D. (Ed.) 2025. Mental Health and Well-being in Animals (3rd ed.). CAB International, Oxfordshire, UK. 464 p.

Effect of feeding environmental enrichment on lesser anteaters’ behavior, space use and food selectivity

Studying behavioral response to management and housing conditions provides specific evidence to enhance animal welfare. Feeding environmental enrichment (FEE) is a powerful strategy to meet welfare challenges. Lesser anteaters’ (Tamandua tetradactyla; n = 7) response to FEE was assessed by...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Asencio, C. J., Eguizábal, G. V., Mufari, J. R. et al. 2025. Effect of feeding environmental enrichment on lesser anteaters’ behavior, space use and food selectivity. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(3), 515–528.

The provision of browse and its impacts on the health and welfare of animals at the zoo: A review

Browsers are animals that consume significant proportions of leaves, twigs, and bark from woody plants. These species have evolved morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations to subsist on a specialized diet. In zoos and other managed care facilities, the provision of...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Ramont, M., Principe, N., Prostko, R. et al. 2025. The provision of browse and its impacts on the health and welfare of animals at the zoo: A review. Zoo Biology 44(2), 105–125.

Increasing cage complexity reduces abnormal behaviours in farmed blue foxes

We studied the long-term effects of biweekly rotated enrichment objects and a permanent shelter screen on abnormal behaviour, daily activity, and stress physiology in juvenile female blue foxes (aged 3–9 months). The experiment lasted seven months, from August to February, following...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Ojala, E. A., Valros, A., Mononen, J. 2025. Increasing cage complexity reduces abnormal behaviours in farmed blue foxes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 284, 106559.

Investigation of food marking and contamination behaviors informs feeding practice in research colonies of laboratory opossums

The laboratory opossum, Monodelphis domestica, serves as a critical marsupial model in biomedical research. Proper feeding approaches are essential for promoting animal growth and wellbeing. In this study, we systematically evaluated food scattering and potential food contamination from feces across...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Lanier, A. L., Schemera, B., Rynders, P. E. et al. 2025. Investigation of food marking and contamination behaviors informs feeding practice in research colonies of laboratory opossums. Journal of the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science 64(1), 89–97.

Enhancing stress assessment in sledge reindeer (Rangifer tarandus): A pilot study on infrared thermal imaging and its opportunities for advancement as a welfare assessment tool

Measuring immediate physiological stress responses in animals can be challenging; saliva and blood sampling, while invasive, may also generate confounding stress responses, and equipping animals with heart rate sensors is not always feasible. Nevertheless, emerging technologies offer a non-invasive and...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Liehrmann, O., Ollila, A., Lummaa, V. et al., 2024. Enhancing stress assessment in sledge reindeer (Rangifer tarandus): A pilot study on infrared thermal imaging and its opportunities for advancement as a welfare assessment tool. Animal Behavior and Cognition 11(3), 293-304.