Natural Behavior

Ever been close to a nosey pig?

Rooting seems to be a very important behaviour in pigs. Its major function is exploratory. Accepting responsibility for farm animals' welfare means more than providing food, water and shelter. The animals' needs, including exploration must also be taken into account....

Year Published: 1979Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Pig

Citation: Van Putten, G. 1979. Ever been close to a nosey pig? Applied Animal Behaviour Science 5, 298 (Abstract).

Untersuchung Zum Sozialverhalten Des Rindes – Eine Zweijahrige Beobachtung an Einer Halb-Wilden Rinderhede (Bos Indicus) [Investigations on the Social Behaviour of Cattle – A Two-Year-Observation of a Half-Wild Cattle Herd (Bos Indicus); German Text With English Summary]

The social behavior of a semi-wild cattle herd was described and analysed covering a 2-year observation period. In cattle husbandry, livestock should be only kept in such systems that meet the species-specific social needs of the animals, e.g., enough room,...

Year Published: 1980Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Reinhardt, V. 1980. Untersuchung Zum Sozialverhalten Des Rindes - Eine Zweijahrige Beobachtung an Einer Halb-Wilden Rinderhede (Bos Indicus) [Investigations on the Social Behaviour of Cattle - A Two-Year-Observation of a Half-Wild Cattle Herd (Bos Indicus); German Text With English Summary]. Birkhauser Verlag, Boston, MA.

Cohesive relationships in a cattle herd (Bos indicus)

Cohesive relationships were studied in a semi-wild cattle herd and traced over periods of three to five years. It became evident that mother cows prefer their female and male progeny over non-related calves as grooming and grazing partners. These associations...

Year Published: 1981Topics: Natural Behavior, Social Housing & CompanionshipAnimal Type: Cattle

Citation: Reinhardt, V., Reinhardt, A. 1981. Cohesive relationships in a cattle herd (Bos indicus). Behaviour 77, 121-151.

Reconciliation and redirected affection in rhesus monkeys

The question whether rhesus monkeys reconcile was empirically translated as: Do they seek non-agonistic contact with former adversaries? The study concerned a captive group of forty-one monkeys, Macaca mulatta. Participants in 350 aggressive incidents were followed both immediately after the...

Year Published: 1983Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: de Waal, F. B. M., Yoshihara, D. 1983. Reconciliation and redirected affection in rhesus monkeys. Behaviour 85, 224-241.

Allowing captive primates to forage

A woodchip litter substrate reduces abnormal behaviours, primarily self-aggression, and encourages foraging, even in the absence of grain. Comparison between the bare floor and litter with grain showed that in the latter monkeys foraged more, manipulated the environment less, were...

Year Published: 1984Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Anderson, J. R. , Chamove, A. S. 1984. Allowing captive primates to forage. In: Standards in Laboratory Animal Management. Proceedings of a Symposium. 253-256. The Universities Federation For Animal Welfare, Potters Bar, UK.

Food sharing and reciprocal obligations among chimpanzees

Food sharing has been proposed as the propeller of hominid evolution, particularly of the development of systems of mutual social obligation. Yet, food sharing in our closest relative has never been subjected to a rigorous analysis of reciprocity. Provisioning of...

Year Published: 1989Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: de Waal, F. B. M. 1989. Food sharing and reciprocal obligations among chimpanzees. Journal of Human Evolution 18(5), 433-459.

The rabbit: a diurnal or a nocturnal animal?

Although the rabbit is an almost 'classical' laboratory animal, chronobiological research in this species is in its infancy. It appears not even clear, whether the rabbit is a predominantly diurnal, crepuscularly active or nocturnal animal. In an ordinary, non sound-isolated...

Year Published: 1991Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Rabbit

Citation: Jilge, B. 1991. The rabbit: a diurnal or a nocturnal animal? Journal of Experimental Animal Science 34, 170-183.

Recommendations for the care of amphibians and reptiles in academic institutions

Amphibians and reptiles differ in many respects from the mammals and birds most commonly used in biomedical research. These differences affect the physical and biological requirements of amphibians and reptiles in captivity. In this contribution, some basic biological characteristics of...

Year Published: 1991Topics: Housing, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Amphibian, Crocodile & Alligator, Frog & Toad, Lizard, Reptile, Salamander, Snake, Turtle & Tortoise

Citation: Pough, F. H. 1991. Recommendations for the care of amphibians and reptiles in academic institutions. ILAR Journal 33(4), S1-S21.

Voluntary progression order in captive rhesus macaques

The sequence in which 14 laboratory rhesus macaques left their home enclosure during a routine catching procedure was recorded on 30 occasions during 6 weeks. The animals were trained to voluntarily exit one by one and enter a transport cage...

Year Published: 1992Topics: Handling, Husbandry & Management, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Macaque, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Reinhardt, V. 1992. Voluntary progression order in captive rhesus macaques. Zoo Biology 11,(1) 61-66.

Bedding for enrichment

When forage materials [chicken scratch] are provided, bedding materials, such as straw or shredded newspaper, along with woodchips increase the amount of time the captive chimpanzee spends in search of forage materials. ... Whether this be the normal time for...

Year Published: 1992Topics: Environmental Enrichment, Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Chimpanzee, Nonhuman Primate

Citation: Poenisch, T. 1992. Bedding for enrichment. The Newsletter 4(1), 1.