Publications

The use of technology as environmental enrichment in zoos: A scoping review

Technological enrichment, such as motion sensors, touchscreens, and response-independent feeders, offer innovative ways to enhance animal welfare in captivity by promoting species-appropriate behaviours and cognitive stimulation. A scoping review of 22 publications comprising 25 studies identified various technologies, with computers...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Hryhorenko, L., McWhorter, T., Whittaker, A. et al. 2025. The use of technology as environmental enrichment in zoos: A scoping review. Animal Welfare 34, e73.

Biologging assessment of behavioural and physiological responses of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) during stress challenges

Stress significantly impacts fish welfare, and for a comprehensive evaluation, welfare assessment requires an integrative approach. The objective of this study is to gain insight into the physiological and behavioural responses of European sea bass subjected to swimming and crowding...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Hoyo-Alvarez, E., Tomàs-Ferrer, J., Lankheet, M. J. et al. 2025. Biologging assessment of behavioural and physiological responses of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) during stress challenges. Scientific Reports 15(1), 42051.

Evidence of mood states in reptiles

There is increasing evidence that non-human animals experience ‘free-floating’ mood states, but such evidence is lacking in reptiles, hindering the debate as to their affective capacity and with subsequent implications for welfare. Here, we investigated the presence of a mood...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Reptile, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Hoehfurtner, T., Wilkinson, A., Moszuti, S. A. et al. 2025. Evidence of mood states in reptiles. Animal Cognition 28(1), 52.

Refinements in diabetic research – a technician led initiative

A genetically altered diabetic mouse model (Ins2akita) was introduced to the facility two years ago. From information available, it was expected that heterozygous animals would develop hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinemia, polydipsia and polyuria by 3 to 4 weeks old with males exhibiting...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Disease/Experimental ModelAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Hill, C., Lyons, C. 2025. Refinements in diabetic research – a technician led initiative. Animal Welfare and Technology 24(3), 254–256.

The constructional approach to zoo animal training: Enhancing welfare through emerging evidence-based behavioral science

Animal welfare has become a cornerstone of modern zoo and aquarium animal care practices. This paper introduces the constructional approach to animal training as an evidence-based framework that can enhance the welfare of zoo animals. Developed through decades of behavioral...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Animal TrainingAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Heidenreich, B., Pedersen, A. 2025. The constructional approach to zoo animal training: Enhancing welfare through emerging evidence-based behavioral science. Animals 15(21), 3221.

Exploring the impact of acute solvent exposure on larval zebrafish behaviour

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) are commonly used to test the impact of pharmacological and toxicological compounds. Larval zebrafish are extensively used because of high throughput procedures allowing simultaneous behavioural measurement in 24-, 48-, or 96-well plates. Often solvents are used as...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Drug/Substance AdministrationAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Hagen, E. V., Harper, M. M. M., Zhang, Y. et al. 2025. Exploring the impact of acute solvent exposure on larval zebrafish behaviour. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience 19.

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as stress biomarkers in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) across rehabilitation phases: Implications for raptor welfare

Taking wildlife into human care is a balancing act between benefits and harms, as handling and captivity can cause chronic stress that can lead to permanent physiological changes. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate stress levels during the rehabilitation of...

Year Published: 2026Topics: Handling, RestraintAnimal Type: Bird, Other Bird

Citation: Grundei, L.-L., Wolf, T. E., Brandes, F. et al. 2026. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites as stress biomarkers in common buzzards (Buteo buteo) across rehabilitation phases: Implications for raptor welfare. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 13.

Role of illumination and light colour temperature in the preference behaviour of weaned piglets

This study investigated the preference behaviour of 24 four-week-old weaned piglets under different lighting conditions (0 lux with 0 Kelvin vs. 80 lux with 3000 Kelvin vs. 6500 Kelvin). Two trials with 12 piglets each were conducted over five weeks...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Götz, S., Reiter, K., Wensch-Dorendorf, M. et al. 2025. Role of illumination and light colour temperature in the preference behaviour of weaned piglets. Animals 15(21), 3116.

Identification and validation of operational pain indicators in anurans

Amphibian welfare, particularly pain assessment in anurans, remains understudied despite their ecological and biomedical significance. This study aimed to identify and validate operational pain indicators for adult anurans under professional care. A four-phase approach was used: a systematic literature review,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: González, S., Caiozzi, A., Cabeza, O. et al. 2025. Identification and Validation of Operational Pain Indicators in Anurans. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 6(4).

Environmental enrichment influences the relationship between lateralization and neophobia in zebrafish larvae

Neophobia, the aversion to novelty, is a conserved survival trait that influences individuals’ decision-making. In many species, juveniles showed less avoidance of novelty than adults, likely due to their limited experience and their need to gather environmental information. A challenging...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Gjinaj, G., Gatto, E., Dadda, M. 2025. Environmental enrichment influences the relationship between lateralization and neophobia in zebrafish larvae. Animal Cognition 29(1), 3.