Environmental Enrichment

Exposure to an enriched environment exerts anxiolytic effects in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats

Exposure to an enriched environment (EE) has been reported to generate multiple beneficial effects in rodents, including – among the many – amelioration of anxiety-related behaviors. The present study investigated whether living in an EE produced anxiolytic effects also in...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Lobina, C., Maccioni, P., Gessa, G. L. et al. 2023. Exposure to an enriched environment exerts anxiolytic effects in Sardinian alcohol-preferring rats. Behavioural Brain Research 452, 114557.

Preterm rat survival is enhanced by gestational environmental enrichment

Throughout the last decade, the estimated global human preterm birth rate was 10.6 %, with higher rates in Asia, South America, and Africa. Preterm individuals, even in adulthood, are more likely to develop cardiorespiratory, renal, and metabolic disorders. On the...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, ReproductionAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Núñez-Murrieta, M. A., Coria-Avila, G. A., Martínez, A. J. et al. 2023. Preterm rat survival is enhanced by gestational environmental enrichment. Behavioural Processes 205, 104820.

Residency and swimming behavior of Acanthopagrus schlegelii, Trachinotus blochii, and Acanthopagrus latus in relation to artificial reef models in a captivity experiment

Global capture fisheries production has declined rapidly over the past decades because of the growing demand for fisheries resources. To restore fisheries resources, artificial reefs (ARs) are deployed on the seafloor to provide new habitats for marine life. However, the...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Fish, Other Fish

Citation: Lee, W.-Y., Lan, K.-W., Chang, H.-H. et al. 2022. Residency and swimming behavior of Acanthopagrus schlegelii, Trachinotus blochii, and Acanthopagrus latus in relation to artificial reef models in a captivity experiment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 257, 105778.

The beneficial effects of providing prepartum sows with nesting materials on farrowing traits, piglet performance and maternal behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Sows are highly motivated to engage in nest-building behavior prior to farrowing. Studies have shown that providing nesting material to farrowing sows reduces the occurrence of redirected nest-building behaviors, improves farrowing traits and maternal behavior, and decreases pre-weaning mortality. However,...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Monteiro, M. S., Muro, B. B. D., Carnevale, R. F. et al. 2023. The beneficial effects of providing prepartum sows with nesting materials on farrowing traits, piglet performance and maternal behavior: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 259, 105795.

Better welfare for broiler chickens given more types of environmental enrichments and more space to enjoy them

Providing an increased variety of environmental enrichment options, with sufficient space to use them, could increase the behavioural expression of positive affective states in production animals. The goal of this study was to investigate associations between the number of different...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: Vas, J., BenSassi, N., Vasdal, G. et al. 2023. Better welfare for broiler chickens given more types of environmental enrichments and more space to enjoy them. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 261, 105901.

Validation of non-invasive sensor technologies to measure interaction with enrichment material in weaned fattening pigs

Measuring animal behaviour is important in the assessment of animal welfare. When interaction with the enrichment material (EM) can be measured, it can be used for detecting an increasing/decreasing interest in a certain EM. In this study, non-invasive sensor technologies...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Veldkamp, F., Garcia-Faria, T. I., Witjes, V. L. et al. 2023. Validation of non-invasive sensor technologies to measure interaction with enrichment material in weaned fattening pigs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 263, 105923.

Increasing foraging times with appetitive and consummatory foraging enrichment in grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus)

Foraging enrichment is considered one of the most effective ways to enhance expression of species-typical behaviours and prevent the development of abnormal (repetitive) behaviours in captive animals. However, foraging enrichments for parrots have thus far not been able to approximate...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Bird, Parrot

Citation: Beekmans, M. H. C., Vinke, C. M., Maijer, A. et al. 2023. Increasing foraging times with appetitive and consummatory foraging enrichment in grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 265, 105986.

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.

Conventional laboratory housing increases morbidity and mortality in research rodents: Results of a meta-analysis

Over 120 million mice and rats are used annually in research, conventionally housed in shoebox-sized cages that restrict natural behaviours (e.g. nesting and burrowing). This can reduce physical fitness, impair thermoregulation and reduce welfare (e.g. inducing abnormal stereotypic behaviours). In...

Year Published: 2022Topics: Disease/Experimental Model, Environmental Enrichment, HousingAnimal Type: Mouse, Rat, Rodent

Citation: Cait, J., Cait, A., Scott, R. W. et al. 2022. Conventional laboratory housing increases morbidity and mortality in research rodents: Results of a meta-analysis. BMC Biology 20(1), 15.

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.