ABSTRACT

Choice-based design allows animals in human care opportunities to move at will between multiple interconnected spaces. Some evidence suggests providing environmental choice confers benefits to animals, but there is a dearth of research in this area with large carnivores. To understand the effects of this design strategy on large felids, behavioral and space use data were collected on three Amur tigers housed in a new habitat at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. Data were collected in two conditions: 1) restricted to a single habitat, and 2) access to two habitats. With choice, tigers were less frequently inactive (p = 0.003), and locomoted more frequently (p = 0.009). They also showed different preferences in space use with choice, and a strong preference for overhead runways between habitats (E* = 0.83, E* = 0.78). These results add to what is known about environmental impacts on zoo animal behavior and suggest this design and management strategy may be effective in conferring positive welfare benefits to tigers and other large carnivores.

摘要

基于选择的设计让人类有机会在多个相互连接的空间之间随意移动。一些证据表明，提供环境选择会给动物带来好处，但在大型食肉动物这一领域缺乏研究。为了了解这种设计策略对大型猫科动物的影响，我们收集了克利夫兰都会公园动物园新栖息地中三只东北虎的行为和空间使用数据。数据是在两种情况下收集的：1) 仅限于单一栖息地，以及 2) 可以进入两个栖息地。有了选择，老虎不活动的频率就会降低 ( p = 0.003)，而移动的频率会更高 ( p= 0.009）。他们还表现出不同的空间使用偏好和选择，以及对栖息地之间架空跑道的强烈偏好（E*  = 0.83，E*  = 0.78）。这些结果增加了已知的环境对动物园动物行为的影响，并表明这种设计和管理策略可能有效地为老虎和其他大型食肉动物带来积极的福利。