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The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity

One of the main concerns for animals kept in captivity is expression of stereotypic behaviour which could indicate stress in the animals. To ensure the welfare of animals are adequate for conservation and to promote species specific behaviour that similar to those in the wild, most of zoos are imple...

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Main Authors: Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati, Norma-Rashid, Yusoff, Ramli, Rosli
Format: Article
Published: Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2022
Subjects:
QL Zoology
Online Access:http://eprints.um.edu.my/41732/
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spelling my.um.eprints.417322023-11-22T03:54:35Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/41732/ The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati Norma-Rashid, Yusoff Ramli, Rosli QL Zoology One of the main concerns for animals kept in captivity is expression of stereotypic behaviour which could indicate stress in the animals. To ensure the welfare of animals are adequate for conservation and to promote species specific behaviour that similar to those in the wild, most of zoos are implementing environmental enrichment. The effect of environmental enrichment on behavioural changes was studied in seven captive sun bears kept in an enclosure at Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bear behaviours are divided into three categories: Active, passive, and abnormal behavioural. The study involved three period: baseline, enrichment, and post-enrichment period. The activity budget was recorded as a single animal scan. A total of 210 h of baseline data was collected over 36 weeks at varying times of days. Three different environment enrichment tools were used; buoy with dog food, hidden fruit mixed with honey, and gunny sack filled with cinnamon powder. They were installed in the enclosures for 10 consecutive days on a rotational basis. Both enrichment and post-enrichment observations were done for 210 h using the same methods as in baseline sampling. Baseline data showed greater passive and abnormal behaviours than active behaviour. With the introduction of the enrichment tools, the sun bears displayed decreased passive and abnormal behaviours with an increment of active behaviour. For post-enrichment period, there was no significant difference when compared with the baseline between all behavioural categories. Among three enrichment tools, hidden fruit mixed with honey was the most preferred enrichment followed by buoy filled with dog food and gunnysack with cinnamon powder. It is suggested that food-based enrichment should be lasting until evening for the sun bear to engaged longer to the enrichment. Although less preferred, cinnamon powder introduction as sensory enrichment was recommended as well. However, it is crucial to ensure that the cinnamon's odour lasting until late evening, where the bears are ready to enter their night den. It can be concluded that the application of various enrichment tools may help to alleviate abnormal behaviour in captive bears. Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2022-05 Article PeerReviewed Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati and Norma-Rashid, Yusoff and Ramli, Rosli (2022) The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity. Sains Malaysiana, 51 (5). pp. 1283-1291. ISSN 0126-6039, DOI https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2022-5105-01 <https://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2022-5105-01>. 10.17576/jsm-2022-5105-01
institution Universiti Malaya
building UM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Malaya
content_source UM Research Repository
url_provider http://eprints.um.edu.my/
topic QL Zoology
spellingShingle QL Zoology
Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati
Norma-Rashid, Yusoff
Ramli, Rosli
The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
description One of the main concerns for animals kept in captivity is expression of stereotypic behaviour which could indicate stress in the animals. To ensure the welfare of animals are adequate for conservation and to promote species specific behaviour that similar to those in the wild, most of zoos are implementing environmental enrichment. The effect of environmental enrichment on behavioural changes was studied in seven captive sun bears kept in an enclosure at Zoo Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Bear behaviours are divided into three categories: Active, passive, and abnormal behavioural. The study involved three period: baseline, enrichment, and post-enrichment period. The activity budget was recorded as a single animal scan. A total of 210 h of baseline data was collected over 36 weeks at varying times of days. Three different environment enrichment tools were used; buoy with dog food, hidden fruit mixed with honey, and gunny sack filled with cinnamon powder. They were installed in the enclosures for 10 consecutive days on a rotational basis. Both enrichment and post-enrichment observations were done for 210 h using the same methods as in baseline sampling. Baseline data showed greater passive and abnormal behaviours than active behaviour. With the introduction of the enrichment tools, the sun bears displayed decreased passive and abnormal behaviours with an increment of active behaviour. For post-enrichment period, there was no significant difference when compared with the baseline between all behavioural categories. Among three enrichment tools, hidden fruit mixed with honey was the most preferred enrichment followed by buoy filled with dog food and gunnysack with cinnamon powder. It is suggested that food-based enrichment should be lasting until evening for the sun bear to engaged longer to the enrichment. Although less preferred, cinnamon powder introduction as sensory enrichment was recommended as well. However, it is crucial to ensure that the cinnamon's odour lasting until late evening, where the bears are ready to enter their night den. It can be concluded that the application of various enrichment tools may help to alleviate abnormal behaviour in captive bears.
format Article
author Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati
Norma-Rashid, Yusoff
Ramli, Rosli
author_facet Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati
Norma-Rashid, Yusoff
Ramli, Rosli
author_sort Abdul-Mawah, Siti Sarayati
title The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
title_short The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
title_full The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
title_fullStr The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
title_full_unstemmed The effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
title_sort effect of environmental enrichment on sun bear (herlarctos malayanus) behaviour in captivity
publisher Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate 2022
url http://eprints.um.edu.my/41732/
_version_ 1783876734195597312
score 13.211869

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