Reptile

Rehabilitation of marine turtles and welfare improvement by application of environmental enrichment strategies

Sea turtles perform various ecological services in several marine environments and are considered architects of the marine landscape. At present, they are endangered species due to anthropogenic threats, pollution and degradation of marine habitats. These impacts make it urgent to...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Escobedo-Bonilla, C. M., Quiros-Rojas, N. M., Rudín-Salazar, E. 2022. Rehabilitation of marine turtles and welfare improvement by application of environmental enrichment strategies. Animals 12(3), 282.

Out of sight, out of mind or just something in the way? Visual barriers do not reduce intraspecific agonism in an all-male group of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus)

Here, we evaluated if visual barriers could reduce intraspecific agonism in an all-male group of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus) living in a zoo. Crocodiles were monitored for nearly 100 h, and four “hotspots” of aggression within their exhibit were identified....

Year Published: 2022Topics: Housing, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Crocodile & Alligator, Reptile

Citation: Leeds, A., Riley, A., Terry, M. et al. 2022. Out of sight, out of mind or just something in the way? Visual barriers do not reduce intraspecific agonism in an all-male group of Nile crocodiles (Crocodylus niloticus). Animals 12(3), 269.

Enrichment devices for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) reared in captivity programs

Environmental enrichment supports the well-being and welfare of captive animals. In the current study, the most suitable form of enrichment device for captive green turtles (Chelonia mydas) was investigated, to support head-start programs rearing turtles for release into their natural...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Kanghae, H., Thongprajukaew, K., Inphrom, S. et al. 2021. Enrichment devices for green turtles (Chelonia mydas) reared in captivity programs. Zoo Biology 40(5), 407-416.

Chronic captivity stress in wild animals is highly species-specific

Wild animals are brought into captivity for many reasons—conservation, research, agriculture and the exotic pet trade. While the physical needs of animals are met in captivity, the conditions of confinement and exposure to humans can result in physiological stress. The...

Year Published: 2019Topics: HousingAnimal Type: All/General, Amphibian, Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Crocodile & Alligator, Frog & Toad, Gibbon, Lemur, Lizard, Macaque, Marine Mammal, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Reptile, Salamander, Snake, Squirrel Monkey, Turtle & Tortoise, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Fischer, C. P., Romero, L. M. 2019. Chronic captivity stress in wild animals is highly species-specific. Conservation Physiology 7(1), coz093.

Interest in coloured objects and behavioural budgets of individual captive freshwater turtles

Recent studies showed that freshwater turtles display inter-individual differences in various behavioural traits, which may influence their health and welfare in captivity due to differences in response to husbandry and enrichment strategies and in ability to cope with the limitations...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Thomson, A. J. C., Bannister, C. C., Marshall, R. T. et al. 2021. Interest in coloured objects and behavioural budgets of individual captive freshwater turtles. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 9(4), 218-227.

Goal-oriented behavioural and environmental enrichment in aquarium species

Environmental enrichment is a common tool used in zoo and aquarium settings to provide mental and physical stimulation to animals under human care. This paper aims to present a primary approach to goal-oriented environmental and behavioural enrichment following a simplified...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Cephalopod, Crustacean, Fish, Frog & Toad, Invertebrate, Other Fish, Reptile, Salamander, Shark & Ray, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Monreal-Pawlowsky, T., Vaicekauskaitė , R., Palencia Membrive, G. et al. 2021. Goal-oriented behavioural and environmental enrichment in aquarium species. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 9(4), 273-280.

Does enclosure size influence the behaviour & welfare of captive snakes (Pantherophis guttatus)?

There is much evidence in mammals and birds demonstrating the importance of providing sufficient space to allow captive animals to exhibit natural behaviours, however, little such evidence exists for reptiles. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether enclosure...

Year Published: 2021Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Reptile, Snake

Citation: Hoehfurtner, T., Wilkinson, A., Walker, M. et al. 2021. Does enclosure size influence the behaviour & welfare of captive snakes (Pantherophis guttatus)? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 243, 105435.

Evidence for animal personalities in two Brazilian tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulatus and Chelonoidis carbonarius) and insights for their conservation

Animal personality, the consistent between-individual differences in e.g., risk-taking, exploration, antipredator or mating behaviours, has major impacts on the fitness of individuals in many species. Understanding how to quantify animal personality should help us predicting how species interact with their...

Year Published: 2021Topics: PersonalityAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Le Balle, R., Cote, J., Santos Fernandez, F. A. 2021. Evidence for animal personalities in two Brazilian tortoises (Chelonoidis denticulatus and Chelonoidis carbonarius) and insights for their conservation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 241, 105400.

Routine handling does not lead to chronic stress in captive green anole (Anolis carolinensis)

Routine handling has been shown to affect stress levels in a variety of animal species. This could result in a general decrease in welfare and may confound the results of scientific experiments or observations on captive study animals. In reptiles,...

Year Published: 2021Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Borgmans, G., Palme, R., Sannen, A. et al. 2021. Routine handling does not lead to chronic stress in captive green anole (Anolis carolinensis). Animal Welfare 30(2), 145-154.

Can colored object enrichment reduce the escape behavior of captive freshwater turtles?

The effect of environmental enrichment on the behavior and welfare in captivity of reptiles and of freshwater turtles in particular, which are popular aquarium and pet species, is very little studied compared to other taxa. We carried out a small...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Bannister, C. C., Thomson, A. J. C., Cuculescu-Santana, M. 2021. Can colored object enrichment reduce the escape behavior of captive freshwater turtles? Zoo Biology 40(2), 160-168.