Publications

Should zoo food be chopped for ruffed lemurs? It’s not so black and white

Whole food diets in zoos have the potential to reduce microbial contamination and keeper preparation time, whilst also reducing food nutrient breakdown. Given these benefits, it is important to determine whether there is any value in chopping up food. Lemurs...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Davison, J. M., Hammond, A., Abernethy-Palmer, G. et al. 2025. Should zoo food be chopped for ruffed lemurs? It’s not so black and white. American Journal of Primatology 87(2), e23695.

Cortisol and catecholamine concentrations are affected by repeated relocations of adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

In captive primate facilities, relocations—moves, within the facility, from one cage to another—can be common events. On the one hand, relocations are generally regarded as relatively benign events, as past studies have generally shown only transient elevations in cortisol concentrations...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Capitanio, J. P., Tancredi, D. J., Zarrabi, J. et al. 2025. Cortisol and catecholamine concentrations are affected by repeated relocations of adult female rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 87(6), e70050.

Behavioral and neurophysiological effects of electrical stunning on zebrafish larvae

Two methods dominate the way that zebrafish larvae are euthanized after experimental procedures: anesthetic overdose and rapid cooling. Although MS-222 is easy to apply, this anesthetic takes about a minute to act and fish show aversive reactions and interindividual differences,...

Year Published: 2025Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Fish, Zebrafish

Citation: Burkhardt, D.-S., Leyden, C., Thomas, C. et al. 2025. Behavioral and neurophysiological effects of electrical stunning on zebrafish larvae. Lab Animal 54(2), 50–58.

Mouse aversion to induction with isoflurane using the drop method

Isoflurane anesthesia prior to carbon dioxide euthanasia is recognized as a refinement by many guidelines. Facilities lacking access to a vaporizer can use the “drop” method, whereby liquid anesthetic is introduced into an induction chamber. Knowing the least aversive concentration...

Year Published: 2025Topics: EuthanasiaAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Bodnar, M. J., Makowska, I. J., Boyd, C. T. et al. 2025. Mouse aversion to induction with isoflurane using the drop method. Laboratory Animals 59(2), 169–177.

Effects of species-relevant auditory stimuli on stress in cats exposed to novel environment

Environmental changes like vet visit could cause stress in cats. Studies have attempted to develop stress management strategies targeting sensory systems. Even though species-appropriate music which includes cat affiliative sound (e.g., cats’ purring and suckling sound) has been shown to...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Bian, Z., Fan, Z., Xiao, T. et al. 2025. Effects of species-relevant auditory stimuli on stress in cats exposed to novel environment. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(2), 318–327.

Effect of feeding environmental enrichment on lesser anteaters’ behavior, space use and food selectivity

Studying behavioral response to management and housing conditions provides specific evidence to enhance animal welfare. Feeding environmental enrichment (FEE) is a powerful strategy to meet welfare challenges. Lesser anteaters’ (Tamandua tetradactyla; n = 7) response to FEE was assessed by...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: Asencio, C. J., Eguizábal, G. V., Mufari, J. R. et al. 2025. Effect of feeding environmental enrichment on lesser anteaters’ behavior, space use and food selectivity. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 28(3), 515–528.

The provision of browse and its impacts on the health and welfare of animals at the zoo: A review

Browsers are animals that consume significant proportions of leaves, twigs, and bark from woody plants. These species have evolved morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations to subsist on a specialized diet. In zoos and other managed care facilities, the provision of...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate, Other Animal, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Ramont, M., Principe, N., Prostko, R. et al. 2025. The provision of browse and its impacts on the health and welfare of animals at the zoo: A review. Zoo Biology 44(2), 105–125.

Exploring the utility of the gut microbiome as a longitudinal health monitoring tool in sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

The primary goal of captive primate management is to ensure optimal health and welfare of the animals in our care. Given that the gut microbiome interacts closely with host metabolism, immunity, and even cognition, it represents a potentially powerful tool...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological Measurement, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Amato, K. R., Lake, B. R., Ozminkowski, S. et al. 2025. Exploring the utility of the gut microbiome as a longitudinal health monitoring tool in sanctuary chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). American Journal of Primatology 87(3), e70004.

Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage

Feather pecking (FP) has been a longstanding concern in avian welfare because of its potential to inflict harm on bird plumage. Researchers have proposed the redirection hypothesis in studies investigating factors influencing FP, positing that pecking feathers serve as a...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Wen, J., Yang, S., Zhu, J. et al. 2025. Meta-analysis on the effect of foraging on feather pecking and feather coverage. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106584.

Sniffing for fun: Evaluating the effect of olfactory enrichment on cats’ toy preference and interaction

Play is a critical natural behavior in domestic cats. Toys and olfactory enrichment are common methods used to encourage play; however, no research has previously evaluated how olfactory enrichment affects toy interaction in cats. We hypothesized that the addition of...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Webberson, E., Stellato, A. C., O’Hanley, K. A. et al. 2025. Sniffing for fun: Evaluating the effect of olfactory enrichment on cats’ toy preference and interaction. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 285, 106592.