Environmental enrichment in zoos

The environmental enrichment is a technique that serves to stimulate and improve the behavior of animals kept in captivity, allowing them to develop their natural ethology and behaviors that they would perform in nature.

Therefore, enrichment must be a dynamic process, which is periodically modified, favoring all the natural behaviors of an animal to manifest themselves.The ultimate environmental enrichment is to promote the welfare of captive animals.

Image: www.vier-pfoten.bg

There are several types of enrichment, depending on the species, type of enclosure and available resources, one, some or all may be used.

Enrichment through food

The variety of food supplied to animals in captivity is usually more limited than could find in their natural habitats.For example, the chances of wild species in captivity are fed with one or two types of seeds, when in freedom the diversity would be much greater, first because they migrate and, in each region, would find many different types.Then, if you try to give a more varied diet depending on the time of year, we would enrich the life of these animals.

For carnivorous animals, the ideal would be to give a wide range of meat type , including non-muscular tissues, coming from different prey.

This type of enrichment favors especially animals with an omnivorous diet, such as raccoons.Giving a generalist diet benefits them and prevents the appearance of certain diseases.

On the other hand, hiding the food, placing it every day in different areas of the shelter, favors foraging and keeps the animal entertained, obtaining food while exercising.

Enrichment of the lathe

Sometimes, the enclosures where the animals are are characterized by having smooth floors and walls, without internal structures.We can increase the environmental complexity by adding different types of substrates to the ground, building levels at different heights and adding Biological characteristics, that is, naturalize the environment by placing trees, shrubs, trunks, places to hide, water areas, etc.All this depending on the species in captivity.

Allow them access to alternative enclosures in the inside or outside favors the exploratory capacity, being able to walk or hide and choose social partners.

Enrichment of the "outside world"

Within the sensory range of animals, we have to take into account what they perceive beyond their enclosure.For wild animals in recovery, it is best to visually isolate them from us, as we could increase their stress and the recovery time would be much greater, in addition, the ideal is that Do not get used to our presence.

Animals that live in zoos are accustomed to dealing with humans, and should be so to reduce driving stress and the chances of a sudden attack.

There are studies that support the theory that certain animals prefer to be able to observe the exterior from a certain height, so this type of enrichment must be linked to that of the interior environment in some cases.

Other studies claim that monkeys housed in enclosures with views to the outside develop less negative behaviors, although sometimes the human presence in zoos disturbs them, so they must always have an escape route and not be subjected to the presence of I constantly publish.They must be the ones who decide if they want to be exhibited or not.

Toys

It has been shown that the use of toys is a good environmental enrichment, being a source of entertainment .A "toy" can be almost anything like rubber hoses, chains, cloth strips, car tires, metal bars, hanging plastic objects, flavored chewable objects and food inside ice blocks, however, no All toys have the same functional value for all animals.Also, putting the same toy every day can be monotonous and have no effect.

When thinking about what would be the best toy to use we must take into account the objectives.Destructible toys with nutritional value are more enriching.Using a substrate to encourage foraging is better than non-destructible and inedible toys.Little heavy objects that can move easily are more likely to encourage play.

It should be borne in mind that "toys" is an anthropomorphic term, they are not "panacea" and not all have positive responses.

Image: enrichment.org

When choosing the best type of environmental enrichment, the species to which It is directed.Not all animals have the same needs.

Placing a lagoon in a psitacida enclosure has no greater function than providing a pleasant sight.For the parrots, enrichment through a diet is more important varied, the placement of innkeepers strategically so they can so to fly like climbing and the use of certain toys.

Installing small pools in the modules of certain felines, such as tigers, is a good enrichment of the environment.

Lastly, you must take care of the caretakers, who must feed and take care of these animals.An enclosure full of logs and hiding places does not facilitate the work of these people.

Image: www.ksl.com

Environmental enrichment for animals in captivity of species that are within a program of" captive breeding " is different from that of animals in zoos.

First, the enclosure of these animals must be completely naturalized and be as similar to their natural habitat.with the objects that this species would find in its place of origin, be they water areas, forested areas, scrubland, etc.

Contact with human beings should and be minimal, they should not get used to our presence or lose our fear.Unlike the activities in zoos, in these breeding centers visitors are not allowed or, if allowed, are under total surveillance and sporadically.

The diet should be equally varied.Herbivores must learn to differentiate which vegetables are food and which are not.This is usually taught by the parents.The carnivorous hunters, by their nature, must learn to hunt.who does not know how to look for his non-aesthetic food, we would be sentencing him to death.

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