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Li HB, Sun J, Li LH, Zhou Y, Fang XL, Li BY, Guo LJ, Geng Y, Wang CP, Huang ZP, Garber PA, Yang Y, Cui LW, Xiao W. Effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging strategies of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) in the Baima Snow Mountain Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23548. [PMID: 37661600 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Provisioning can significantly affect the ranging patterns, foraging strategies, and time budget of wild primates. In this study, we document for the first time, the effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging effort in an Asian colobine. Over 3-years, we used an instantaneous scanning method at 10-min intervals to collect data on the activity budget of a semiprovisioned breeding band (SPB) of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) (42-70 individuals) at Xiangguqing (Tacheng), Yunnan, China. We then compared the effects of provisioning in our study band with published data on a sympatric wild nonprovisioned breeding band (NPB) of R. bieti (ca. 360 monkeys) at the same field site. The SPB spent 25.6% of their daytime feeding, 17.1% traveling, 46.9% resting, and 10.3% socializing. In comparison, the NPB devoted more time to feeding (34.9%) and socializing (14.1%), less time to resting (31.3%), and was characterized by a greater foraging effort (1.74 versus 0.96, foraging effort = (feeding + traveling)/resting; see Methods). There was no difference between bands in the proportion of their activity budget devoted to traveling (15.7% vs. 17.1%). In addition, the SPB exhibited a more consistent activity budget and foraging effort across all seasons of the year compared to the NPB. These findings suggest that the distribution, availability, and productivity of naturally occurring feeding sites is a major determinant of the behavioral strategies and activity budget of R. bieti. Finally, a comparison of our results with data on six nonprovisioned R. bieti bands indicates that caution must be raised in meta-analyses or intraspecific comparisons of primate behavioral ecology that contain data generated from both provisioned and nonprovisioned groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Bo Li
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Yunling Black-and-White Snub-Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan Province, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- International Center for Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Lun-Hong Li
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xue-Lan Fang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Bo-Yan Li
- Institute of Resource Conservation, Lashihai Plateau Wetland Provincial Nature Reserve Bureau, Lijiang, Yunnan, China
| | - Long-Jie Guo
- Nujiang Administration Bureau, Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve, Liuku, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Geng
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Chun-Ping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhi-Pang Huang
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Yunling Black-and-White Snub-Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan Province, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Paul A Garber
- International Center for Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Department of Anthropology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Yin Yang
- International Center for Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Liang-Wei Cui
- Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province, Faculty of Biodiversity Conservation, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
- International Center for Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Wen Xiao
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Yunling Black-and-White Snub-Nosed Monkey Observation and Research Station of Yunnan Province, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- International Center for Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
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Diurnal and Nocturnal Behaviour of Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and Lions (Panthera leo) in Zoos. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12182367. [PMID: 36139229 PMCID: PMC9495184 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammals are constantly exposed to exogenous and endogenous influences that affect their behaviour and daily activity. Light and temperature, as well as anthropogenic factors such as husbandry routines, visitors, and feeding schedules are potential influences on animals in zoological gardens. In order to investigate the effects of some of these factors on animal behaviour, observational studies based on the analyses of activity budgets can be used. In this study, the daily and nightly activity budgets of six lions (Panthera leo) and five cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from four EAZA institutions were investigated. Focused on the influencing factor light and feeding, we analysed these activity budgets descriptively. Behaviour was recorded and analysed during the winter months over an observation period of 14 days and 14 nights using infrared-sensitive cameras. Our results show that lions and cheetahs exhibit activity peaks at crepuscular and feeding times, regardless of husbandry. Thus, lions in captivity shift nocturnal behaviour familiar from the wild to crepuscular and diurnal times. In cheetahs, in contrast, captive and wild individuals show similar 24 h behavioural rhythms. The resting behaviour of both species is more pronounced at night, with cheetahs having a shorter overall sleep duration than lions. This study describes the results of the examined animals and is not predictive. Nevertheless, the results of this study make an important contribution to gaining knowledge about possible factors influencing the behaviour of lions and cheetahs in zoos and offer implications that could be useful for improving husbandry and management.
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Bernstein-Kurtycz LM, Wiatroski KG, Leeds A, Lukas KE. About pace: How variations in method and definition affect quantification of pacing in bears? Zoo Biol 2022; 41:365-372. [PMID: 35037291 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Repetitive pacing behavior is exhibited by many species in zoos and is particularly prevalent in carnivores with large home ranges, such as bears. Pacing can be a behavioral indicator of poor welfare, however, understanding this behavior can be challenging. As many bears that pace are singly housed, efforts to systematically examine and ameliorate pacing may be strengthened by multi-institutional studies. However, there is currently no standardized method to quantify pacing, which makes cross-institutional analyses of causal factors and intervening measures challenging. The purpose of this study was to compare multiple sampling methods and definitions for quantifying pacing in bears to understand how they affect outcome measures. We analyzed video recordings of two grizzly and two black bears pacing, using three sampling methods (continuous, instantaneous 30-s interval, instantaneous 1-min interval), and three definitions of pacing (AB-two repetitions of the path, ABA-three repetitions, ABAB-four repetitions). A generalized linear mixed model revealed that continuous and instantaneous 30-s interval methods captured more pacing than instantaneous 1-min methods, and definitions captured a decreasing amount of pacing from AB to ABA to ABAB. AB also captured the highest number of pacing bouts. The importance of comparability across institutions is growing, and a standard methodology and definition for recording pacing would be useful. We suggest that the combination of instantaneous sampling and the ABA definition presents a good balance between capturing the right data and being flexible enough for a variety of institutions to implement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Bernstein-Kurtycz
- Department of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Austin Leeds
- Disney's Animal Kingdom, Buena Vista, Florida, USA
| | - Kristen E Lukas
- Department of Conservation and Science, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Diana A, Salas M, Pereboom Z, Mendl M, Norton T. A Systematic Review of the Use of Technology to Monitor Welfare in Zoo Animals: Is There Space for Improvement? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113048. [PMID: 34827780 PMCID: PMC8614292 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Ensuring appropriate animal welfare to promote wildlife conservation is a top priority of modern zoos, leading to greater effort to improve welfare monitoring approaches. However, more traditional procedures can present some limitations, while the implementation of technology might become an extra tool to comply with the need of a more efficient welfare assessment. This study aimed to summarise the available body of research on technologies used for the assessment of animal welfare in zoos. The results revealed that the majority of publications were published from 2015 onwards suggesting that this research field is still young. So far, the use of technology to assess zoo animal welfare has focused mainly on large mammals likely due to the emotional impact and interest that they have on the public and media worldwide. In addition, despite the employment of both detached and wearable sensors to assess animal welfare in zoos, implementation of algorithms to enable real-time monitoring of the animals is still scarce compared to research on farm animals. Greater application of technologies in zoo research and on more taxa should be the focus of future studies, so that another effective welfare assessment approach can be used together with more traditional procedures to improve zoo animal welfare and ultimately promote wildlife conservation. Abstract A top priority of modern zoos is to ensure good animal welfare (AW), thus, efforts towards improving AW monitoring are increasing. Welfare assessments are performed through more traditional approaches by employing direct observations and time-consuming data collection that require trained specialists. These limitations may be overcome through automated monitoring using wearable or remotely placed sensors. However, in this fast-developing field, the level of automated AW monitoring used in zoos is unclear. Hence, the aim of this systematic literature review was to investigate research conducted on the use of technology for AW assessment in zoos with a focus on real-time automated monitoring systems. The search led to 19 publications with 18 of them published in the last six years. Studies focused on mammals (89.5%) with elephant as the most studied species followed by primates. The most used technologies were camera (52.6%) and wearable sensors (31.6%) mainly used to measure behaviour, while the use of algorithms was reported in two publications only. This research area is still young in zoos and mainly focused on large mammals. Despite an increase in publications employing automated AW monitoring in the last years, the potential for this to become an extra useful tool needs further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Diana
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell’Università 16, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Marina Salas
- Zoo Antwerp Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA), 2018 Antwerp, Belgium; (M.S.); (Z.P.)
| | - Zjef Pereboom
- Zoo Antwerp Centre for Research and Conservation (CRC), Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (RZSA), 2018 Antwerp, Belgium; (M.S.); (Z.P.)
| | - Michael Mendl
- Centre for Behavioural Biology, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK;
| | - Tomas Norton
- Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses (M3 BIORES), Division Animal and Human Health Engineering, Department of Biosystems, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium;
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Briceño C, Sandoval-Rodríguez A, Yévenes K, Larraechea M, Morgado A, Chappuzeau C, Muñoz V, Dufflocq P, Olivares F. Interactions between Invasive Monk Parakeets ( Myiopsitta monachus) and Other Bird Species during Nesting Seasons in Santiago, Chile. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E923. [PMID: 31694253 PMCID: PMC6912311 DOI: 10.3390/ani9110923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 10/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The monk parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) is considered to be one of the most invasive bird species because its unique ability among parrots to build their own communal nests. Currently, they are considered an invasive species in 19 countries and a pest-even in their native distribution-because of economic losses derived from their impacts. During the reproductive seasons of 2017 and 2018, we registered interactions between invasive monk parakeets and resident bird species in Santiago, Chile. We observed agonistic and affiliative interactions, and further, we described monk parakeets' nest occupancy by nine bird species, two invasive and seven native. For this reason, we consider that the monk parakeet is an allogenic ecosystem engineer with the potential to shape distribution and richness of sympatric species in urban environments. Our results contribute to an assessment of the implications of the monk parakeet's ecological invasion to other synanthropic species, and raise concern of other potential impacts, such as pathogen transmission derived from these interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristóbal Briceño
- ConserLab, Animal Preventive Medicine Department, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile
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Hansen BK, Fultz AL, Hopper LM, Ross SR. An evaluation of video cameras for collecting observational data on sanctuary-housed chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Zoo Biol 2018; 37:156-161. [PMID: 29675871 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2018] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Video cameras are increasingly being used to monitor captive animals in zoo, laboratory, and agricultural settings. This technology may also be useful in sanctuaries with large and/or complex enclosures. However, the cost of camera equipment and a lack of formal evaluations regarding the use of cameras in sanctuary settings make it challenging for facilities to decide whether and how to implement this technology. To address this, we evaluated the feasibility of using a video camera system to monitor chimpanzees at Chimp Haven. We viewed a group of resident chimpanzees in a large forested enclosure and compared observations collected in person and with remote video cameras. We found that via camera, the observer viewed fewer chimpanzees in some outdoor locations (GLMM post hoc test: est. = 1.4503, SE = 0.1457, Z = 9.951, p < 0.001) and identified a lower proportion of chimpanzees (GLMM post hoc test: est. = -2.17914, SE = 0.08490, Z = -25.666, p < 0.001) compared to in-person observations. However, the observer could view the 2 ha enclosure 15 times faster by camera compared to in person. In addition to these results, we provide recommendations to animal facilities considering the installation of a video camera system. Despite some limitations of remote monitoring, we posit that there are substantial benefits of using camera systems in sanctuaries to facilitate animal care and observational research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany K Hansen
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois.,Behavior and Research, Chimp Haven, Keithville, Louisiana
| | - Amy L Fultz
- Behavior and Research, Chimp Haven, Keithville, Louisiana
| | - Lydia M Hopper
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Stephen R Ross
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois
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