Environmental enrichment: Definition and criteria of effectiveness (2007)

LAREF [Laboratory Animal Refinement and Enrichment Forum]

Abstract

Regardless of how we define the term environmental enrichment, it will always distract from the fact that we do not enrich the environment of captive animals, but provide them, at best, with opportunities to express very basic behavioral needs.Biologically relevant enrichment is intrinsically effective in promoting species-adequate, non-injurious behaviors, hence it does not require extra evaluation. The effectiveness of biologically irrelevant enrichment is not intrinsic and therefore has to be evaluated and re-evaluated through repeated behavioral observations to assure that it promotes appropriate behavioral responses.