Publications

Trichromatic vision in toads: Evidence from preference for colour objects during mate choice

Input of different spectral types of photoreceptors in amphibian colour vision has been assessed by studying the behaviour of male toads Bufo bufo and B. gargarizans in a laboratory. This method is based on the males' innate reaction of approaching...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, ReproductionAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Kondrashev, S. L. 2023. Trichromatic vision in toads: Evidence from preference for colour objects during mate choice. Behaviour 160(8), 753–784.

The recovery time between early mild stress and final acute stress affects survival rate, immunity, health, and physiology of oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)

This study investigated how the time interval between the last EMS (netting) and the acute confinement stress (AC stress) at the end of the experiment can influence growth, haematology, blood biochemistry, immunological response, antioxidant system, liver enzymes, and stress response...

Year Published: 2023Topics: HandlingAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Zare, M., Heidari, E., Hosseini Choupani, S. M. et al. 2023. The recovery time between early mild stress and final acute stress affects survival rate, immunity, health, and physiology of oscar (Astronotus ocellatus). Animals 13(10), 1606.

The effect of enrichment on leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) housed in two different maintenace systems (rack system vs

The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of environmental enrichment for Eublepharis macularius depending on the maintenance method (terrarium vs. rack system). The hypothesis was that reptiles kept in an extremely low-stimulus environment (rack system) would be...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Lizard, Reptile

Citation: Zieliński, D. 2023. The effect of enrichment on leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) housed in two different maintenace systems (rack system vs. Terrarium). Animals 13(6), 1111.

Social box: A new housing system increases social interactions among stallions

In domestic conditions, adult stallions are mostly housed individually in internal stables to reduce the risk of injuries during social interactions. Social deprivation in horses results in physiological stress and behavioural problems. The aim of this study was to test...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Zollinger, A., Wyss, C., Bardou, D. et al. 2023. Social box: A new housing system increases social interactions among stallions. Animals 13(8), 1408.

The implications of cognitive processes for animal welfare

In general, codes that have been designed to safeguard the welfare of animals emphasize the importance of providing an environment that will ensure good health and a normal physiological and physical state, that is, they emphasize the animals' physical needs....

Year Published: 1991Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Duncan, I. J., Petherick, J. C. 1991. The implications of cognitive processes for animal welfare. Journal of Animal Science 69(12), 5017–5022.

Animal agency, animal awareness and animal welfare

In nature, animals need to actively engage with the environment in order to prosper in survival and reproduction. Hence, agency is a central adaptive characteristic of animal life. In this paper, I propose that from the adaptive/functional point of view,...

Year Published: 2019Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: All/General, Cattle, Chicken, Equine, Fowl, Goat, Pig, Sheep

Citation: Špinka, M. 2019. Animal agency, animal awareness and animal welfare. Animal Welfare 28(1), 11–20.

Environmental challenge and animal agency

Challenges are there to be overcome – seen usually as problems to avoid rather than as opportunities to enjoy. However, for humans a life without challenge would be likely to be dull and boring, lacking the enthusiasm and satisfaction that...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Špinka, M., Wemelsfelder, F. 2011. Environmental challenge and animal agency. Animal Welfare 27–43.

The four Cs of psychological wellbeing: Lessons from three decades of computer-based environmental enrichment

Three decades ago, the Animal Welfare Act was amended to require researchers to provide environments that promoted the psychological, as well as the physical, wellbeing of nonhuman primates maintained for research purposes. We developed a computer-task paradigm with the goal...

Year Published: 2015Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Washburn, D. 2015. The four Cs of psychological wellbeing: Lessons from three decades of computer-based environmental enrichment. Animal Behavior and Cognition 2(3), 218–232.

Assessing animal welfare with behavior: Onward with caution

An emphasis on ensuring animal welfare is growing in zoo and aquarium associations around the globe. This has led to a focus on measures of welfare outcomes for individual animals. Observations and interpretations of behavior are the most widely used...

Year Published: 2021Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Watters, J. V., Krebs, B. L., Eschmann, C. L. 2021. Assessing animal welfare with behavior: Onward with caution. Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens 2(1), 75–87.

In pursuit of peak animal welfare; the need to prioritize the meaningful over the measurable

Despite the diversity of animal welfare definitions, most recognise the centrality of the feelings of animals which are currently impossible to measure directly. As a result, animal welfare assessment is heavily reliant upon the indirect measurement of factors that either...

Year Published: 2017Topics: Emotion, Pain, & Sentience, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Veasey, J. S. 2017. In pursuit of peak animal welfare; the need to prioritize the meaningful over the measurable. Zoo Biology 36(6), 413–425.