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Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)

The knowledge of an animal's behaviour is important in the assessment of both health and ecological requirements. In captivity, the confined environment and daily management are often considered as crucial factors affecting an animal's behaviour, especially the development of stereotypies....

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Main Author: Tan, Hwee Mien
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: 2010
Subjects:
Malayan sun bear
Stereotypic behaviour
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/1/FPV%202010%2025%20-%20IR.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/
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spelling my.upm.eprints.700542019-11-12T01:45:22Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/ Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.) Tan, Hwee Mien The knowledge of an animal's behaviour is important in the assessment of both health and ecological requirements. In captivity, the confined environment and daily management are often considered as crucial factors affecting an animal's behaviour, especially the development of stereotypies. The current study was conducted to document the diurnal activity patterns and stereotypic behaviours in captive Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus), to investigate the effect of enclosure design on the stereotypies observed, and to ascertain if environmental enrichment is able to alleviate stereotypic behaviours. A 14-day behavioural observation was carried out on 17 adult H. malayanus which were either housed in groups of four or five in outdoor enclosures, or in pairs in barren indoor enclosures. The diurnal activity budgets of the bears were dominated by resting (Zoo-A: indoor = 22.8 ± 14.8%, outdoor = 58.3 ± 15.6%; Zoo-B: indoor = 25.7 ± 11.0%, outdoor = 52.0 ± 20.1%) and locomotion (Zoo-A: indoor = 44.0 ± 18.7%, outdoor = 28.4 ± 14.2%; Zoo-B: indoor = 36.2 ± 12.3%, outdoor = 23.1 ± 13.5%). All bears in this study performed at least one form of stereotypic behaviour, where pacing was the most common form. When comparison was made between the bears housed indoors and those outdoors, the outdoor bears spent significantly more time resting while the indoor bears displayed higher frequency of locomotion, conspecific interaction as well as total stereotypy. Following baseline data collection, coconut fronds and plastic containers with twigs were then provided as enrichment to the bears for the next 14 days. The enrichment items were then withdrawn over a subsequent 14-day period. Saliva and faeces of the bears were collected for quantification of cortisol hormone. Behavioural and cortisol data were statistically compared between pre-, per- and post-enrichment periods. The enrichment successfully reduced the time spent resting and promoted play behaviour in all groups of bears. However, significant reduction in stereotypic frequency was only observed in the bears housed indoors. The enrichment did not exert a reducing effect on the cortisol in the saliva or faeces.The present study has revealed that enclosure design has a significant effect on the behaviour and manifestation of stereotypies in captive bears. The response of the bears to the enrichment varied between those housed in enriched outdoor enclosures and those in barren indoor enclosures, where reduction in the frequency of stereotypy was only found in the latter. It is therefore necessary that efforts in ex situ conservation of H. malayanus must first address the basic management issues and fulfill the primary requirements of the animals. Environmental enrichment using basic materials is an effective tool to alleviate behavioural anomalies especially where the captive environment is compromised. 2010-09 Thesis NonPeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/1/FPV%202010%2025%20-%20IR.pdf Tan, Hwee Mien (2010) Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.). Masters thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia. Malayan sun bear Stereotypic behaviour
institution Universiti Putra Malaysia
building UPM Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Putra Malaysia
content_source UPM Institutional Repository
url_provider http://psasir.upm.edu.my/
language English
topic Malayan sun bear
Stereotypic behaviour
spellingShingle Malayan sun bear
Stereotypic behaviour
Tan, Hwee Mien
Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
description The knowledge of an animal's behaviour is important in the assessment of both health and ecological requirements. In captivity, the confined environment and daily management are often considered as crucial factors affecting an animal's behaviour, especially the development of stereotypies. The current study was conducted to document the diurnal activity patterns and stereotypic behaviours in captive Malayan Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus), to investigate the effect of enclosure design on the stereotypies observed, and to ascertain if environmental enrichment is able to alleviate stereotypic behaviours. A 14-day behavioural observation was carried out on 17 adult H. malayanus which were either housed in groups of four or five in outdoor enclosures, or in pairs in barren indoor enclosures. The diurnal activity budgets of the bears were dominated by resting (Zoo-A: indoor = 22.8 ± 14.8%, outdoor = 58.3 ± 15.6%; Zoo-B: indoor = 25.7 ± 11.0%, outdoor = 52.0 ± 20.1%) and locomotion (Zoo-A: indoor = 44.0 ± 18.7%, outdoor = 28.4 ± 14.2%; Zoo-B: indoor = 36.2 ± 12.3%, outdoor = 23.1 ± 13.5%). All bears in this study performed at least one form of stereotypic behaviour, where pacing was the most common form. When comparison was made between the bears housed indoors and those outdoors, the outdoor bears spent significantly more time resting while the indoor bears displayed higher frequency of locomotion, conspecific interaction as well as total stereotypy. Following baseline data collection, coconut fronds and plastic containers with twigs were then provided as enrichment to the bears for the next 14 days. The enrichment items were then withdrawn over a subsequent 14-day period. Saliva and faeces of the bears were collected for quantification of cortisol hormone. Behavioural and cortisol data were statistically compared between pre-, per- and post-enrichment periods. The enrichment successfully reduced the time spent resting and promoted play behaviour in all groups of bears. However, significant reduction in stereotypic frequency was only observed in the bears housed indoors. The enrichment did not exert a reducing effect on the cortisol in the saliva or faeces.The present study has revealed that enclosure design has a significant effect on the behaviour and manifestation of stereotypies in captive bears. The response of the bears to the enrichment varied between those housed in enriched outdoor enclosures and those in barren indoor enclosures, where reduction in the frequency of stereotypy was only found in the latter. It is therefore necessary that efforts in ex situ conservation of H. malayanus must first address the basic management issues and fulfill the primary requirements of the animals. Environmental enrichment using basic materials is an effective tool to alleviate behavioural anomalies especially where the captive environment is compromised.
format Thesis
author Tan, Hwee Mien
author_facet Tan, Hwee Mien
author_sort Tan, Hwee Mien
title Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
title_short Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
title_full Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
title_fullStr Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
title_full_unstemmed Diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (Helarctos Malayanus R.)
title_sort diurnal activity budget, stereotypic behaviour and response to enrichment of captive malayan sun bears (helarctos malayanus r.)
publishDate 2010
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/1/FPV%202010%2025%20-%20IR.pdf
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/70054/
_version_ 1651869110401761280
score 13.211869

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