Environmental Enrichment

Manipulable object and human contact: Preference and modulation of emotional states in weaned pigs

Enriching the life of farm animals is a legal obligation in intensive farming conditions in the European Union, though not worldwide. In pigs, manipulable materials are mandatory when no bedding is available. Like manipulable objects, positive human interactions might also...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Human-Animal InteractionAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Villain, A. S., Lanthony, M., Guérin, C. et al. 2020. Manipulable object and human contact: Preference and modulation of emotional states in weaned pigs. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7, 577433.

Maternal deprivation impairs memory and cognitive flexibility, effect that is avoided by environmental enrichment

Maternal deprivation (MD) causes cognitive deficits that persist until adulthood. Thereby, the environmental enrichment (EE) is widely used to increase brain plasticity. Here, pregnant female rats were used and their offspring were submitted to neonatal MD from post-natal day 1–10;...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Menezes, J., Souto das Neves, B.-H., Gonçalves, R. et al. 2020. Maternal deprivation impairs memory and cognitive flexibility, effect that is avoided by environmental enrichment. Behavioural Brain Research 381, 112468.

Musical dogs: A review of the influence of auditory enrichment on canine health and behavior

Music therapy yields many positive health outcomes in humans, but the effects of music on the health and welfare of nonhuman animals vary greatly with the type of music played, the ethology of the species, and the personality and learning...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Dog

Citation: Lindig, A., McGreevy, P., Crean, A. 2020. Musical dogs: A review of the influence of auditory enrichment on canine health and behavior. Animals 10(1), 127.

Nesting material enrichment reduces severity of overgrooming-related self-injury in individually housed rats

Individual or singly-housing laboratory rats is common in many animal facilities, but has an adverse impact on the welfare of this social species. It has previously been shown that a small proportion of individually housed mice (∼5%) engage in pathological...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Rat, Rodent

Citation: Khoo, S. Y.-S., Correia, V., Uhrig, A. 2020. Nesting material enrichment reduces severity of overgrooming-related self-injury in individually housed rats. Laboratory Animals 54(6), 546-558.

Now hear this: Caring for chinchillas in research

This article describes the authors’ experience with the housing, social housing, husbandry, handling, and environmental enrichment of chinchillas in laboratories.

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Handling, Housing, Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: Chinchilla

Citation: LaFleur, R. A., Williams-Fritze, M. J. 2020. Now hear this: Caring for chinchillas in research. Laboratory Animal Science Professional 8(5) (September/October), 8-12.

Howletts and Port Lympne Zoo Parks, UK, Summer 1990 – Summer 1991

Several structural enrichment enhancers are described. When a barrel with an opening in the front was hung from the roof of the siamang enclosure, our then solitary male, Mitch, spent much of his time looking out at the world from...

Year Published: 1992Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Rearing & Weaning, ReproductionAnimal Type: Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Anonymous. 1992. Annual Reports: Howletts and Port Lympne Zoo Parks, UK. International Zoo News 39(1), 30-41.

The nocturnal activity of a commonly housed rodent: How African pygmy dormice (Graphiurus murinus) respond to an enriched environment?

Exotic rodents are becoming increasingly popular in industry; however, there is limited empirical evidence to guide husbandry practices. African pygmy dormice (Graphiurus murinus) are typical in this respect. This research aimed to determine the effect of environmental enrichment on the...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Other Rodent, Rodent

Citation: Lang, G. P. S. A., Rose, P. E., Nash, S. M. et al. 2020. The nocturnal activity of a commonly housed rodent: How African pygmy dormice (Graphiurus murinus) respond to an enriched environment? Journal of Veterinary Behavior 38, 82-88.

Relative preference for wooden nests affects nesting behaviour of broiler breeders

Optimising nest design for broiler breeders has benefits for both the animals and the producers. The welfare of the hens will increase by providing preferred housing, while also reducing eggs laid outside the nests. These floor eggs cause economic losses...

Year Published: 2020Topics: Environmental Enrichment, ReproductionAnimal Type: Bird, Chicken

Citation: van den Oever, A. C. M., Rodenburg, T. B., Bolhuis, J. E. et al. 2020. Relative preference for wooden nests affects nesting behaviour of broiler breeders. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 222, 104883.

An Enrichment Device for Great Apes

The influence of an environmental enrichment feeding device (puzzle feeder), on activity and behaviour patterns of captive orang-utans, gorillas and chimpanzees was studied at London Zoo. General activity levels and behaviours directed towards the feeder increased for all species when...

Year Published: 1992Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate, Other Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Gilloux, I., Gurnell, J., Shepherdson, D. 1992. An Enrichment Device for Great Apes. Animal Welfare, 1(4), 279–289.

A customised combination of environmental enrichment reduces aggression in CD-1 male mice

Murine aggression has profound implications on animal welfare and husbandry. This report examines how three distinct combinations of environmental enrichment – wheel, igloo and tunnel; wheel, igloo, and tunnel with nesting; and tunnel with nesting – affect aggressive behaviour in...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Mouse, Rodent

Citation: Veness, A., Galichet, C., Murphy, S. et al. 2025. A customised combination of environmental enrichment reduces aggression in CD-1 male mice. Laboratory Animals 59(5), 588–592.