Plastic animals in cages: behavioural flexibility and responses to captivity

Urbanized birds have superior establishment success in novel environments

“…1 Introduction success for birds on oceanic islands in relation to differences in breeding population density of urban birds minus population density of rural birds probability of becoming successful invaders (e.g., Alcaraz et al 2005;Cassey et al 2004;Jeschcke and Strayer 2006;Mason et al 2013). If animals that cope with captivity are also behaviorally more flexible, they may be able to adjust to the conditions of the environment more readily.…”

Bestial boredom: a biological perspective on animal boredom and suggestions for its scientific investigation

“…This is consistent with boredom, but also with other explanations, including apathy, depression, or cognitive impairment. Taking a different approach, monotony causes many species to seek novelty, even novel stimuli they would normally avoid (reviewed in Berlyne, 1960;Kirkden, 2000;Mason et al, 2013;Stevenson, 1983). For example, despite normally shunning bright light, rats (Rattus norvegicus) increasingly pressed levers for flashes of light the longer they were kept in darkness (in Berlyne, 1960).…”

“…This is yet to be done, but generalist traits do correlate positively with boredom-relevant traits including neophilia and innovation at the species level (reviewed in Reader, 2003). Further suggestive evidence comes from captivity, where it seems to be particularly neophilic, generalist species (Kirkden, 2000;Mason et al, 2013;Stevenson, 1983) that proactively seek -even aversive -stimulation in barren environments.…”

“…(Calderon et al, 2016), 'are more 'intelligent' species more prone to boredom?' (Mason et al, 2013), and 'which species are most at risk from the monotony common in captivity?' (Mason et al, 2013).…”

“…(Mason et al, 2013), and 'which species are most at risk from the monotony common in captivity?' (Mason et al, 2013).…”