A systematic review of the effects of musical enrichment on captive mammals (2025)

Alkalaj, M.

Abstract

Forty two studies examining physiological, behavioural and cognitive mammalian responses to music were identified, with 38.1% of those studies focusing on primates. The studies identified included 23 mammalian species across six animal orders (Artiodactyla, Carnivora, Perissodactyla, Primates, Proboscidea and Rodentia). The most commonly tested music genre was classical music, with 64.3% of articles focusing solely on the effect of classical music, and another 23.8% of studies including it in addition to other genres. A beneficial effect of music was identified in 76.2% of studies, out of which 87.5% examined the effects of classical music.