Using Ethology to Assess Captive Enclosure Quality in Private and Public Ohio Zoos

University

Shawnee State University

Major

Biology

Student Type

Undergraduate Student

Presentation Types

Oral Presentation (Live)

Keywords:

zoos, animal behavior, ethology

Abstract

Observing behavior is one technique used to gauge the health and wellbeing of organisms. Such observations, when formalized using ethology, are critical in captive situations, where organisms are placed in artificial approximations of natural habitats and social structures. Since funding and laws governing animal ownership differ between accredited and privately owned zoos, care standards vary among establishments. Ethology can be used to determine if caretakers are meeting the basic needs of organisms. I selected animal species that were housed at both, private and accredited zoos in Ohio and conducted behavioral profiling to determine if they behaved as expected for their species. Each profile consists of a behavioral catalog, time budget, and enclosure characteristics. Comparing time budgets for each species between establishments allowed identification of behavioral anomalies. Additionally, I compared laws and regulations associated with ownership to the conditions observed to determine if care given met the standard of the law.

Human and Animal Subjects

no

Faculty Mentor Name

Sarah Ivers

Faculty Mentor Title

Professor of Biology

Faculty Mentor Department

Natural Sciences

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Using Ethology to Assess Captive Enclosure Quality in Private and Public Ohio Zoos

Observing behavior is one technique used to gauge the health and wellbeing of organisms. Such observations, when formalized using ethology, are critical in captive situations, where organisms are placed in artificial approximations of natural habitats and social structures. Since funding and laws governing animal ownership differ between accredited and privately owned zoos, care standards vary among establishments. Ethology can be used to determine if caretakers are meeting the basic needs of organisms. I selected animal species that were housed at both, private and accredited zoos in Ohio and conducted behavioral profiling to determine if they behaved as expected for their species. Each profile consists of a behavioral catalog, time budget, and enclosure characteristics. Comparing time budgets for each species between establishments allowed identification of behavioral anomalies. Additionally, I compared laws and regulations associated with ownership to the conditions observed to determine if care given met the standard of the law.