Environmental Enrichment

Effect of marginal environmental and social enrichment during rearing on pigs’ reactions to novelty, conspecifics and handling

The rearing environment of farmed animals can affect their behaviour when handled, and therefore needs to be taken into account when selecting for traits such as docility. Therefore, 126 German Landrace and Pietrain × German Landrace pigs were reared in...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Toenepoehl, B., Appel, A. K., Welp, S. et al. 2012. Effect of marginal environmental and social enrichment during rearing on pigs' reactions to novelty, conspecifics and handling. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 140(3-4), 137-145.

Using enrichment to improve welfare and reduce suffering

European Directive 2010/63/EU requires that accommodation and care are refined so as to minimize suffering, and that the lifetime experience of the animal is taken into account when assessing the actual severity of procedures. So, with respect to these requirements,...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: All/General

Citation: Winnicker, C., Gaskill, B. 2012. Using enrichment to improve welfare and reduce suffering. Enrichment Record 12, 16-19.

The benefits of adding a little color to a monkey’s environment

Imagine if your everyday world was boring, blah and completely sterile looking with limited amounts of color. Unimaginable, right? Here at Legacy Schering Plough/Merck, we thought the same about our nonhuman primates who look at the same bland walls each...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Olivo, D. 2012. The benefits of adding a little color to a monkey's environment. Enrichment Record 10, 7.

Assessment of the reinforcing potential of auditory enrichment in adult male rhesus macaques

Environmental enrichment is a concept that describes how the environment of captive animals can be changed for the benefit of the inhabitants. In 2000, Wright and colleagues suggested that tonal melodies form musical gestalts for monkeys, as they do for...

Year Published: 2012Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: McComb, M. M., Code, R. A., Merrick, J. M. et al. 2012. Assessment of the reinforcing potential of auditory enrichment in adult male rhesus macaques. American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 640 (Abstract #PS48).

Manzanita wood: A sanitizable enrichment option for nonhuman primates

Wooden objects are often used as nonhuman primate enrichment to provide variety and novelty, promote exploratory behavior, and supply an outlet for curiosity. However, concerns have been raised regarding the ability to sanitize wood by using conventional cage-wash procedures. To...

Year Published: 2011Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: All/General, Baboon, Capuchin, Chimpanzee, Lemur, Macaque, Marmoset, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate, Owl Monkey, Squirrel Monkey, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Luchins, K. R., Baker, K. C., Gilbert, M. H. et al. 2011. Manzanita wood: A sanitizable enrichment option for nonhuman primates. JAALAS 50(6), 884-887.

Can regular access to floor pens affect caged rabbit behavior? American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 615-616 (Abstract #PS43)

The main objective of the program of research, of which this study is part, is to evaluate the housing and environmental enrichment for laboratory rabbits. The aim is to determine whether modifications to basic housing will improve the wellbeing of...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Cruden, J. 2013. Can regular access to floor pens affect caged rabbit behavior? American Association for Laboratory Animal Science [AALAS] Meeting Official Program, 615-616 (Abstract #PS43).

Biology, behavior, and environmental enrichment for the captive African clawed frog (Xenopus spp)

Xenopus are a hardy, long-lived, aquatic amphibian species which readily adapt to a captive environment. This characteristic makes Xenopus ideal for the laboratory, where they are used extensively in basic and biomedical research. Though husbandry practices for Xenopus have not...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Housing, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Amphibian, Frog & Toad

Citation: Chum, H., Felt, S., Garner, J. et al. 2013. Biology, behavior, and environmental enrichment for the captive African clawed frog (Xenopus spp). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 143(2-4), 150-156.

Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review, and implications for captive populations

Reptiles and amphibians have been neglected in research on cognition, emotions, sociality, need for enriched and stimulating environments, and other topics that have been greatly emphasized in work on mammals and birds. This is also evident in the historic lack...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Amphibian, Crocodile & Alligator, Frog & Toad, Lizard, Reptile, Salamander, Snake, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Burghardt, G. M. 2013. Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review, and implications for captive populations. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 147(3-4), 286-298.

Enrichment object preferences in laboratory rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

To promote the psychological well-being of captive non-human primates, facilities develop and implement an environmental enhancement plan (Animal Welfare Act, Section 3.81). Enrichment options described in the plan should be selected to demonstrably promote species-typical behaviors. Too often, enrichment choices...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Carey, M. C., West, A. M., Diaz, B. et al. 2013. Enrichment object preferences in laboratory rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). American Journal of Primatology 75(S1), 81. (36th Meeting of the American Society of Primatologists Scientific Program, Abstract #162)

The enriching effect of non-commercial items in stabled horses

The effect of the provision of simple objects to stabled horses on their behaviour was investigated to determine whether these objects can affect horses' behaviour in a positive way and thus enrich their environment. A positive influence can for example...

Year Published: 2013Topics: Abnormal/Problematic Behavior, Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Equine

Citation: Bulens, A., Beirendonck, S., Van Thielen, J. et al. 2013. The enriching effect of non-commercial items in stabled horses. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 143(1), 46-51.