Abstract:Comparative cognitive and behavior research aims to investigate cognitive evolution by comparing performance in different species to understand how these abilities have evolved. Ideally, this requires large and diverse samples; however, these can be difficult to obtain by single labs or institutions, leading to potential reproducibility and generalization issues with small, less representative samples. To help mitigate these issues, we are establishing a multi-site collaborative Open Science approach called Ma… Show more
“…The Many X projects aim to be inclusive, inviting collaboration between academics and nonacademics, across the world with clear, coherent, and accessible frameworks for research participation. The ManyBirds Project, in particular, aims to facilitate collaboration with a variety of potential sites, including zoos, labs, field, and private homes, by selecting experimental designs that are low time and labor intensive, requiring no/minimal physical contact with the experimenter and therefore suitable for unhabituated/untrained birds (Lambert et al, 2021). An example of this is the upcoming ManyBirds study on neophobia in birds—following a similar protocol as the above hornbill pilot study (for more information: Twitter: @TheManyBirds; Website: http://www.themanybirds.com).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Contrast this to farms and laboratories that typically only house a handful of species or breeds (but with the obvious trade-off of increased sample sizes, Section 3). A recent review of avian cognition research (>500 articles across 30 journals from 2015 to 2020) indicated that only ~1.4% of bird species were represented, typically from four main orders (Lambert et al, 2021). It thus follows that only 3.9% of these studies were conducted in zoos (74.6% in labs; 17.4% at field sites; 3% at farms and 1.1% did not report the site or were at a mixture of sites; Lambert et al, 2021).…”
Section: Benefitsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…A recent review of avian cognition research (>500 articles across 30 journals from 2015 to 2020) indicated that only ~1.4% of bird species were represented, typically from four main orders (Lambert et al, 2021). It thus follows that only 3.9% of these studies were conducted in zoos (74.6% in labs; 17.4% at field sites; 3% at farms and 1.1% did not report the site or were at a mixture of sites; Lambert et al, 2021). Similarly, a review of primate cognition research across a comparable timeframe indicated that only ~13.6% of species were represented (Many Primateset al, 2019).…”
Animal cognition covers various mental processes including perception, learning, decision‐making and memory, and animal behavior is often used as a proxy for measuring cognition. Animal cognition/behavior research has multiple benefits; it provides fundamental knowledge of animal biology and evolution but can also have applied conservation and welfare applications. Zoos provide an excellent yet relatively untapped resource for animal cognition research, because they house a wide variety of species—many of which are under threat—and allow close observation and relatively high experimental control compared to the wild. Multi‐zoo collaboration leads to increased sample size and species representation, which in turn leads to more robust science. However, there are salient challenges associated with zoo‐based cognitive research, which are animal‐based (e.g., small sample sizes at single zoos, untrained/unhabituated subjects, side effects) and human‐based (e.g., time restrictions, safety concerns, and perceptions of animals interacting with unnatural technology or apparatus). We aim to increase the understanding and subsequent uptake of animal cognition research in zoos, by transparently outlining the main benefits and challenges. Importantly, we use our own research (1) a study on novelty responses in hornbills, and (2) a multi‐site collaboration called the “ManyBirds” Project to demonstrate how challenges may be overcome. These potential options include using “drop and go” apparatuses that require no training, close human contact or animal separation. This study is aimed at zoo animal care and research staff, as well as external researchers interested in zoo‐based studies.
“…The Many X projects aim to be inclusive, inviting collaboration between academics and nonacademics, across the world with clear, coherent, and accessible frameworks for research participation. The ManyBirds Project, in particular, aims to facilitate collaboration with a variety of potential sites, including zoos, labs, field, and private homes, by selecting experimental designs that are low time and labor intensive, requiring no/minimal physical contact with the experimenter and therefore suitable for unhabituated/untrained birds (Lambert et al, 2021). An example of this is the upcoming ManyBirds study on neophobia in birds—following a similar protocol as the above hornbill pilot study (for more information: Twitter: @TheManyBirds; Website: http://www.themanybirds.com).…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Contrast this to farms and laboratories that typically only house a handful of species or breeds (but with the obvious trade-off of increased sample sizes, Section 3). A recent review of avian cognition research (>500 articles across 30 journals from 2015 to 2020) indicated that only ~1.4% of bird species were represented, typically from four main orders (Lambert et al, 2021). It thus follows that only 3.9% of these studies were conducted in zoos (74.6% in labs; 17.4% at field sites; 3% at farms and 1.1% did not report the site or were at a mixture of sites; Lambert et al, 2021).…”
Section: Benefitsmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…A recent review of avian cognition research (>500 articles across 30 journals from 2015 to 2020) indicated that only ~1.4% of bird species were represented, typically from four main orders (Lambert et al, 2021). It thus follows that only 3.9% of these studies were conducted in zoos (74.6% in labs; 17.4% at field sites; 3% at farms and 1.1% did not report the site or were at a mixture of sites; Lambert et al, 2021). Similarly, a review of primate cognition research across a comparable timeframe indicated that only ~13.6% of species were represented (Many Primateset al, 2019).…”
Animal cognition covers various mental processes including perception, learning, decision‐making and memory, and animal behavior is often used as a proxy for measuring cognition. Animal cognition/behavior research has multiple benefits; it provides fundamental knowledge of animal biology and evolution but can also have applied conservation and welfare applications. Zoos provide an excellent yet relatively untapped resource for animal cognition research, because they house a wide variety of species—many of which are under threat—and allow close observation and relatively high experimental control compared to the wild. Multi‐zoo collaboration leads to increased sample size and species representation, which in turn leads to more robust science. However, there are salient challenges associated with zoo‐based cognitive research, which are animal‐based (e.g., small sample sizes at single zoos, untrained/unhabituated subjects, side effects) and human‐based (e.g., time restrictions, safety concerns, and perceptions of animals interacting with unnatural technology or apparatus). We aim to increase the understanding and subsequent uptake of animal cognition research in zoos, by transparently outlining the main benefits and challenges. Importantly, we use our own research (1) a study on novelty responses in hornbills, and (2) a multi‐site collaboration called the “ManyBirds” Project to demonstrate how challenges may be overcome. These potential options include using “drop and go” apparatuses that require no training, close human contact or animal separation. This study is aimed at zoo animal care and research staff, as well as external researchers interested in zoo‐based studies.
“…We tested two conservation-relevant associated components of behavioural flexibility in a little-studied, Critically Endangered bird species, which could be further implemented across other species, for instance, through the ManyBirds framework [ 38 ], and used in applied sciences. Our findings help contribute to our understanding on how Bali myna and individuals react to changes in their environment.…”
Section: Discussionmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…We confirmed with keeping staff that these were suitably novel in all cases. The novel items were selected as such to be comparable with research in corvids [ 28 , 32 ], so the data may be useful for comparative research [ 38 ]. Figure 1 Novel objects.…”
Behavioural flexibility can impact on adaptability and survival, particularly in today's changing world, and encompasses associated components like neophobia, e.g. responses to novelty, and innovation, e.g. problem-solving. Bali myna (
Leucopsar rothschildi
) are a Critically Endangered endemic species, which are a focus of active conservation efforts, including reintroductions. Gathering behavioural data can aid in improving and developing conservation strategies, like pre-release training and individual selection for release. In 22 captive Bali myna, we tested neophobia (novel object, novel food, control conditions), innovation (bark, cup, lid conditions) and individual repeatability of latency responses in both experiments. We found effects of condition and presence of heterospecifics, including longer latencies to touch familiar food in presence than absence of novel items, and between problem-solving tasks, as well as in the presence of non-competing heterospecifics than competing heterospecifics. Age influenced neophobia, with adults showing longer latencies than juveniles. Individuals were repeatable in latency responses: (1) temporally in both experiments; (2) contextually within the innovation experiment and between experiments, as well as being consistent in approach order across experiments, suggesting stable behaviour traits. These findings are an important starting point for developing conservation behaviour related strategies in Bali myna and other similarly threatened species.
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