The Ethical Assessment of Touch Pools in Aquariums by Means of the Ethical Matrix

Biasetti, Pierfrancesco; Florio, Daniela; Gili, Claudia; Mori, Barbara de

doi:10.1007/s10806-020-09823-2

Cited by 10 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…The procedure has to be considered in the context of the project it is part of, and in the broader perspective of biodiversity conservation. Moreover, as conservation activities take place at the crossroad between different value dimensions ( 26 ), the procedure has to be evaluated in its wider effects on animals and people, that is, beyond its mere conservation value.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The EM permits us to unpack and analyze the ethically relevant aspects involved in a complex scenario, reorganizing them into a transparent and comprehensible picture of value demands. Originally developed by Mepham ( 27 ) for the ethical assessment of technologies and policies in agriculture and food processing, the EM has since been applied in many other fields—including veterinary medicine ( 28 , 29 ), forestry ( 30 ), aquaculture ( 31 , 32 ), assessment of human–animal interactions ( 33 , 34 ), management of contaminated agricultural ecosystems and radioactive waste ( 35 , 36 ), and conservation ( 37 ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ethical Analysis of the Application of Assisted Reproduction Technologies in Biodiversity Conservation and the Case of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ovum Pick-Up Procedures

et al. 2022

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Originally applied on domestic and lab animals, assisted reproduction technologies (ARTs) have also found application in conservation breeding programs, where they can make the genetic management of populations more efficient, and increase the number of individuals per generation. However, their application in wildlife conservation opens up new ethical scenarios that have not yet been fully explored. This study presents a frame for the ethical analysis of the application of ART procedures in conservation based on the Ethical Matrix (EM), and discusses a specific case study—ovum pick-up (OPU) procedures performed in the current conservation efforts for the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni)—providing a template for the assessment of ART procedures in projects involving other endangered species.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ethical Analysis of the Application of Assisted Reproduction Technologies in Biodiversity Conservation and the Case of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ovum Pick-Up Procedures

et al. 2022

Self Cite

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“…There are several frameworks which could be adapted to provide a more standardised assessment which considers welfare and education. Biasetti et al [71] proposed that an Ethical Matrix can assess animal encounters from all perspectives. They used the example of touch pools and considered the potential stakeholders as biodiversity, the animals used, the aquarium itself, staff, and visitors.…”

Section: Ethical Justification Of Animal Ambassadorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conservation Education: Are Zoo Animals Effective Ambassadors and Is There Any Cost to Their Welfare?

Spooner

Farnworth

Ward

et al. 2021

JZBG

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Animal ambassador encounters (AAE), where visitors come into close-contact with animals, are popular in zoos and are advocated as promoting connection to wild species. However, educational and animal-welfare implications are relatively unknown. We conducted a systematic literature review (PRISMA) to investigate visitor and animal outcomes of AAE. We identified 19 peer reviewed articles and 13 other records focused on AAEs. Although we found net positive or neutral impacts overall, several studies indicated that high-intensity visitor contact and long-term exposure may be detrimental to animal welfare. Most studies lacked rigour and claims were based on an absence of negative impacts rather than evidence of benefits. Multiple publications were derived from the same datasets and there were no standardised measures for either welfare or education impacts. Of the peer-reviewed articles, just two considered both education and welfare. Education studies often used perceived learning or only post-experience testing. Welfare studies used small samples (median n = 4; range 1–59), and limited measures of welfare. In order to justify the continued use of AAEs in modern zoos, animal welfare costs must be proven to be minimal whilst having demonstrable and substantial visitor educational value. Large-scale, standardised impact assessments of both education and welfare impacts are needed.

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“…In a 2004 study in the UK, "Surface Breaking Behaviour" was documented in nearly three-quarters of public aquaria, making up a third of the stereotypic behaviours studied, predominately exhibited by sharks and rays [78]. These behaviours are thought to be a result of environmental factors, temporal links to feeding schedules and/or methods of feeding are often witnessed in touch pools [79][80][81]. In some captive environments, the frequency of surface-breaking behaviour performed by a group of rays was reduced when provided benthic feeding opportunities [81].…”

Section: Port Jackson Sharksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural Habitat Design for Zoo-Housed Elasmobranch and Teleost Fish Species Improves Behavioural Repertoire and Space Use in a Visitor Facing Exhibit

Lawrence

Sherwen

Larsen

2021

Animals

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This study investigated the behaviour of two Elasmobranch species; Southern fiddler ray (Trygonorrhina dumerilii, n = 1) and Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni, n = 4) and two teleost species; moonlighter (Tilodon sexfasciatus, n = 1) and banded morwong (Cheilodactylus spectabilis, n = 1) living within a single enclosure. For this study, two treatments were compared, the original enclosure design, and then after the enclosure had been renovated to more closely represent the species natural habitats, with a raised front viewing glass to prevent visitor interaction. Behaviours such as resting, swimming and abnormal behaviours such as surface and perimeter swimming (elasmobranchs only) were recorded as well as location within the enclosure, for 10 days pre and 10 days post renovation. The Port Jackson sharks significantly reduced the performance of abnormal behaviours after renovation, and significantly increased the time spent near the exhibit front. The Southern fiddler ray increased resting post renovation, while the teleost species also spent more time near the exhibit front. Although a small sample size was used, the results suggest that a more naturalistic environment with multiple micro-habitats and effective visitor barriers allows for a greater proportion of the day spent exhibiting natural behaviours, greater space use and reduced stereotypes.

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The Ethical Assessment of Touch Pools in Aquariums by Means of the Ethical Matrix

Cited by 10 publications

References 28 publications

Ethical Analysis of the Application of Assisted Reproduction Technologies in Biodiversity Conservation and the Case of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ovum Pick-Up Procedures

Ethical Analysis of the Application of Assisted Reproduction Technologies in Biodiversity Conservation and the Case of White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) Ovum Pick-Up Procedures

Conservation Education: Are Zoo Animals Effective Ambassadors and Is There Any Cost to Their Welfare?

Natural Habitat Design for Zoo-Housed Elasmobranch and Teleost Fish Species Improves Behavioural Repertoire and Space Use in a Visitor Facing Exhibit

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