Environmental conditions associated with repetitive behavior in a group of African elephants

Abstract

Repetitive movement patterns are commonly observed in zoo elephants. The extent to which these behaviors constitute a welfare concern varies, as their expression ranges from stereotypies to potentially beneficial anticipatory behaviors. Nevertheless, their occurrence in zoo animals is often viewed negatively. To better identify conditions that prompt their performance, observations were conducted on six African elephants (Loxodonta africana) at the North Carolina Zoo. Individuals spent most of their time engaged in feeding, locomotion, resting, and repetitive behavior. Both generalized estimating equation and zero-inflated negative binomial models were used to identify factors associated with increased rates of repetitive behavior. Time of day in conjunction with location on- or off-exhibit best explained patterns of repetitive behavior. Repetitive behaviors occurred at a lower rate in the morning when on-exhibit, as compared to afternoons on-exhibit or at any time of day off-exhibit. Increased repetitive behavior rates observed on-exhibit in the afternoon prior to the evening transfer and feeding were possibly anticipatory responses towards those events. In contrast, consistently elevated frequencies of repetitive behavior off-exhibit at all times of day could be related to differences in exhibit complexity between off-exhibit and on-exhibit areas, as well as a lack of additional foraging opportunities. Our study contributes valuable information on captive elephant behavior and represents a good example of how behavioral research can be employed to improve management of zoo animals.

Abnormal Repetitive Behaviours of Confiscated Slow Loris (Nycticebus spp.) in Thailand

“…Dish spinning and reaching above the head have not been previously reported. The prevalence of ARBs seen in the current study is considered high for zoo-housed animals [Shepherdson et al, 2013;Hasenjager and Bergl, 2015]. In the group without ARBs, the observed proportions of locomotion and inactivity were similar to those of wild slow lorises [Nekaris, 2001].…”

Increasing browse and social complexity can improve zoo elephant welfare

“…In other studies, behavior differed greatly across time of day due to major daily events, especially around feeding times (Horback et al, 2014; Posta et al, 2013; Rees, 2009). Repetitive behavior is negatively correlated with feeding behavior and increases in the afternoon before shifting elephants (Hasenjager & Bergl, 2015; Rees, 2009). While we did find an increase in foraging behavior in the afternoon after increasing the amount of browse provided to elephants, repetitive behavior was still more common in the afternoon (i.e., when food availability was lowest).…”

“…This can allow elephants to avoid aggressive behaviors and provide individuals the choice to remove themselves from unwanted social interaction. This provides elephants agency to make decisions, which is a crucial element to support optimal welfare in zoo‐housed animals (Greco et al, 2016; Hasenjager & Bergl, 2015; Learmonth, 2019; Mackey, 2014; Meehan, Mench et al, 2016). It should be noted that it is important to ensure that the elephants are socially compatible, as chronic stress from living in an incompatible group can significantly reduce welfare (Meehan, Hogan et al, 2016; Prado‐Oviedo et al, 2016).…”

“…Observers watched elephants from visitor viewing platforms that provided nearly unobstructed views of the elephants' enclosure spaces. Observers used an ethogram created by Hasenjager and Bergl (2015) to record elephant behavior (Appendix 1). At the beginning of each session, observers recorded the number and names of the elephants present within the exhibit.…”

“…Rees (2009) found that repetitive behaviors displayed by zoo elephants increased in frequency towards the end of the day, and others have suggested that repetitive behaviors in elephants are anticipatory, specifically occurring in greater frequency directly before and after mealtimes (Mackey, 2014). Researchers have observed multiple differences between diurnal and nocturnal activity budgets, such as increases in positive social behaviors during the day, an increase in self‐maintenance behaviors early morning and late evening (Horback et al, 2014), and repetitive behaviors with the lowest occurrence in the morning (Hasenjager & Bergl, 2015). It is thus important to be aware of time of day effects on behavior in observational studies of zoo‐housed animals.…”