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Applying Behavioral Conditioning to Identify Anticipatory Behaviors.
Bethany L Krebs1, Erika Torres1,2, Charlie Chesney1,2
1a San Francisco Zoo and Gardens , San Francisco , CA , USA.
Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science : JAAWS
|April 5, 2017
Summary
Animals can learn to anticipate regular events, showing increased activity beforehand. This study introduces a behavioral conditioning method to observe and assess animal well-being in zoos, successfully demonstrated in gorillas and red pandas.
Area of Science:
- Animal behavior
- Ethology
- Animal welfare science
Background:
- Predicting regular events is adaptive for animals in unpredictable environments.
- Anticipatory behavior, a goal-directed increase in activity before a predictable event, can indicate animal well-being.
- Assessing animal well-being requires methods applicable across diverse species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and evaluate a method for generating and describing anticipatory behavior in zoo animals using behavioral conditioning.
- To assess the utility of this method for indicating animal well-being.
Main Methods:
- A behavioral conditioning protocol was developed to elicit anticipatory behavior.
- The method was applied to a silverback gorilla and a red panda at the San Francisco Zoo.
- Observed behaviors preceding predictable events were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Evidence of anticipatory behavior was observed in both the gorilla and the red panda.
- The study demonstrated the successful application of the proposed method in case studies.
- Behavioral conditioning proved effective in generating predictable anticipatory responses.
Conclusions:
- The proposed behavioral conditioning method provides a practical approach for studying anticipatory behavior in zoo animals.
- This method can be utilized to assess and improve animal well-being in zoological settings.
- Anticipatory behavior is a valuable indicator for monitoring the welfare of captive animals.