Behavior First: A Toolkit for Meeting the Behavioral Needs of Animals in Zoos and Aquariums

Historically focused on training and enrichment, behavioral husbandry has become a standard fixture in zoos and aquariums. Enrichment planning has explicitly incorporated species' natural history since its inception. Despite this, many enrichment strategies have traditionally been developed by starting with items to be placed in animal habitats, with common practices of evaluating effectiveness centering on item-based checklists. In recent years, discussions among behavioral husbandry professionals have shifted toward a move from item-based to behavior-based strategies. Using this behavior-first approach relies on a broad view of the behavioral needs of animals. Focusing on the function and topography of behaviors may be useful for programs making this shift. Here we describe a behavior-first goal-setting process that considers function and topography, tools to aid the process, and examples of practical implementation. In addition to sparking different behavior-first ideas during the planning stage, this process can also provide a foundation for high-quality evaluation of the results of enrichment and other behavior-focused strategies.