Environmental Enrichment

Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) differ in their responses to environmental enrichment: Why? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 280, 106432

The maned wolf, a species vulnerable to extinction, is widely found in zoos. Environmental enrichment techniques have been recommended to increase environmental unpredictability, therefore stimulating behavioral diversity, and promoting welfare for zoo animals. However, diverse responses to unpredictability have been...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Animal

Citation: de Jesus Matos de Brito, L., Schetini de Azevedo, C., Mascarenhas Ladeia Dutra, L. et al. 2024. Maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) differ in their responses to environmental enrichment: Why? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 280, 106432.

Getting to the root of the problem…How to maximize swine environmental enrichment opportunities in the laboratory animal setting

Swine rooting refers to the natural behavior of pigs to root or dig in soil with their snouts in search of food, roots, insects, and other edible items. This behavior is deeply ingrained in the natural instincts of swine and...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: De La Garza, F., Long, C. T., Cannon, C. Z. 2024. Getting to the root of the problem…How to maximize swine environmental enrichment opportunities in the laboratory animal setting. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 12(3) (May/June), 30–35.

Poultry enrichment in a research setting

Poultry, like all purpose bred birds, are one of the handful of animals that are not a covered species by the USDA in a research setting. While there are recommendations for husbandry and care available, there are not many defined...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Scamardo, A., 2024. Poultry enrichment in a research setting. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 12(6) (November/December), 25-28.

The impact of care on chimpanzee welfare: A comprehensive review

Animal welfare research has increased dramatically in scope and prevalence, spanning zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, and research facilities. Chimpanzees are the most common and well-studied great ape living in human care. This considerable focus on chimpanzee welfare provides the foundation for...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Angley, L. P., Vale, G. L., Cronin, K. A. 2024. The impact of care on chimpanzee welfare: A comprehensive review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 275, 106272.

Auditory enrichment with different genres of music for colony queens

The aim was to determine changes in clinical parameters, glucose concentration, cortisol and behavior in colony queens in no music conditions compared with exposing to different genres of music. Mixed breed clinically healthy queens (N = 9) were used. Queens were studied...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: García Mitacek, M. C., Praderio, R. G., Tebes, M. et al. 2024. Auditory enrichment with different genres of music for colony queens. Laboratory Animals 58(4), 302–312.

Periodic stays in a ‘playcage’ as an environmental enrichment measure for laboratory rats housed in individually ventilated cages: Short report

Male Zucker Diabetic Sprague Dawley rats were housed in standard individually ventilated cages with floor area of 1500 cm2, and were placed in a ‘playcage' (a large open cage) for three visits per week from the age of 16–18 weeks. The...

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

Citation: Gudbrandsen, O. A. 2024. Periodic stays in a ‘playcage' as an environmental enrichment measure for laboratory rats housed in individually ventilated cages: Short report. Laboratory Animals 58(4), 365–368.

Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare

Zoos are often limited by exhibit design in the opportunities they can provide animals to express natural behaviors; however, the opportunity to perform certain natural behaviors is key to supporting good animal welfare. Traditionally, in zoos, naked mole rats (Heterocephalus...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mole Rat, Rodent

Citation: Wierzal, N. K., Keeley, L., Fidino, M. et al. 2024. Can you dig it? The impact of a movable substrate “dig pit” on naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) behavior and welfare. Zoo Biology 43(5), 470–480.

Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration

Stereotypies are repetitive, unvarying, apparently purposeless behavioural patterns. They develop in animals kept in barren environments and are highly prevalent in laboratory mice (Mus musculus), yet their underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. In humans, stereotypies are associated with several psychiatric...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Gross, A. N., Engel, A. K. J., Richter, S. H. et al. 2011. Cage-induced stereotypies in female ICR CD-1 mice do not correlate with recurrent perseveration. Behavioural Brain Research 216(2), 613-620.

Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare

Laboratory mice are typically housed in “shoebox” cages with limited opportunities to engage in natural behaviour. Temporary access to environments with increased space and complexity (playpens) may improve mouse welfare. Previous work by our group has shown that mice are...

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

Citation: Ratuski, A. S., Améndola, L., Makowska, I. J. et al. 2024. Effects of temporary access to environmental enrichment on measures of laboratory mouse welfare. Scientific Reports 14(1), 15143.

Rearing pigs with play opportunities: The effects on disease resilience in pigs experimentally inoculated with PRRSV

Positive emotions can reduce disease susceptibility during infectious challenges in humans, and emerging evidence suggests similar effects in farm animals. Because play behaviour may support a positive emotional state in pigs, this study investigates whether rearing pigs with regular intermittent...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & WeaningAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Steinerová, K., Harding, J. C., Parker, S. E. et al. 2024. Rearing pigs with play opportunities: The effects on disease resilience in pigs experimentally inoculated with PRRSV. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.