Publications

Novel scent enrichment enhances socio-sexual and olfactory behaviors in zoo-housed gentle lemurs

The Alaotran gentle lemur (Hapalemur Alaotrensis) is one of the most endangered primates in the world and shows a low success rate in captive breeding programmes. We tested a novel scent enrichment, made up of a synthesized mixture likely conveying...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Lemur, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Fontani, S., Glendewar, G., Cowen, R. et al. 2025. Novel scent enrichment enhances socio-sexual and olfactory behaviors in zoo-housed gentle lemurs. American Journal of Primatology 87(1), e23716.

Burrowing for answers: Investigating Syrian hamster welfare through owner surveys

Background: Syrian hamsters are a relatively common pet species in the UK. However, we know very little about how they are kept. The aim of this study was to identify areas of good and poor practices among Syrian hamster owners...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Hamster, Rodent

Citation: Fox, A., Neville, V. 2024. Burrowing for answers: Investigating Syrian hamster welfare through owner surveys. Veterinary Record 195(9), e4534.

Chimpanzee activity and behavioral diversity extends across 24 hours in both captive and wild settings

Studying nocturnal behavior is crucial for understanding the full scope of a species' behavioral flexibility so as to inform the conservation of wild populations and the care of captive individuals. However, this aspect of primate behavior is understudied, especially in...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Funkhouser, J. A., Boostrom, H., Hellmuth, H. et al. 2025. Chimpanzee activity and behavioral diversity extends across 24 hours in both captive and wild settings. American Journal of Primatology 87(1), e23729.

Puzzle feeder as a cognitive enrichment strategy determines long-term welfare improvements in a teleost fish

Providing access to cognitive tasks, such as puzzle feeders, holds promise as enrichment strategy to enhance the welfare of captive animals. Despite the substantial number of teleost fish in captivity, the effects of cognitive enrichments in this group remain relatively...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Gatto, E., Varracchio, C., Bertolucci, C. et al. 2024. Puzzle feeder as a cognitive enrichment strategy determines long-term welfare improvements in a teleost fish. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 279, 106401.

Stress produces negative judgement bias in cuttlefish

Judgement bias tasks (JBTs) are used to assess the emotional state and welfare of animals in zoos, farms and laboratories, based on the interpretation of an ambiguous or intermediate cue. Animals in positive affective states are more likely to interpret...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Cephalopod, Invertebrate

Citation: Giancola-Detmering, S. E., Crook, R. J. 2024. Stress produces negative judgement bias in cuttlefish. Biology Letters 20(10), 20240228.

Non-invasive blood pressure measurement in conscious rabbits: A comparison of Doppler ultrasonic and oscillometric devices

Background: This study aimed to compare Doppler (the most commonly used technique for non-invasive indirect blood pressure [NIBP] measurement in rabbits) and oscillometric devices for NIBP measurements in conscious rabbits. Methods: Blood pressure (BP) measurements were obtained for 49 conscious...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: González-González, E., González-Alonso-Alegre, E., Montesinos-Barceló, A. et al. 2024. Non-invasive blood pressure measurement in conscious rabbits: A comparison of Doppler ultrasonic and oscillometric devices. Veterinary Record 195(7), e4399.

Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow

While some stress can be beneficial for survival, identifying drivers of detrimental stress is essential for improving animal welfare and reproductive outcomes in conservation breeding programs. We examined the interaction between housing and behavioral indicators of temperament, both of which...

Year Published: 2025Topics: HousingAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Gosselin, R. P., Flanagan, A. M., Mendl, M. et al. 2025. Individual behavior and housing setup interact to influence markers of welfare in the critically endangered Hawaiian crow. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 282, 106475.

Moving vs still prey: Do common wall lizards show any preference?

Among prey functional traits, mobility plays a major role, affecting its actual availability to predators: a moving animal is usually more susceptible of being detected than immobile or inanimate prey. With the aim of investigating the role played by visual...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Guadin, B., Gazzola, A., Balestrieri, A. et al. 2024. Moving vs still prey: Do common wall lizards show any preference? Behaviour 161(6), 417–439.

Enjoy the silence: Preference and short-term effect of exposure to different acoustical stimuli in dogs

Prior research has demonstrated that animal vocalizations and music can elicit emotional responses in dogs, but their preferences for different acoustic stimuli remain underexplored. This study aimed to develop a methodology to assess dogs' preferences and behavioral reactions to various...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Guérineau, C., Lõoke, M., Broseghini, A. et al. 2024. Enjoy the silence: Preference and short-term effect of exposure to different acoustical stimuli in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 281, 106452.

Rattling the cage: Behaviour and resource use of mice in laboratory and pet cages

Conventional housing for laboratory mice limits the expression of species-specific behaviours and restricts the control over their environment, thus failing to guarantee the animals' welfare. To better understand the behaviour and resource use of laboratory mice, we housed mice (n...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gygax, M., Fortes, M. S., Voelkl, B. et al. 2024. Rattling the cage: Behaviour and resource use of mice in laboratory and pet cages. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 278, 106381.