What's a Polar Bear Doing in the Tropics? - Animal Concerns ...

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4.2.1 Prevalence of abnormal stereotypic behaviours and inactivityBoth bears spent a large proportion of their time inactive, especially Sheba.This is likely due in part to the extremely hot ambient temperatures thatthey are exposed to on a daily basis and the uninteresting living conditions.Excessive inactivity in zooanimals is one of therecognised signs of chronicstress. 7 Animals housed in abarren environment showan overall decrease ininteraction with theenvironment. 55 Thisdecrease in interactionresults in a high level ofinactivity. The lack ofsufficient space, climbingstructures, manipulableobjects, enrichment andproper feeding husbandryall contribute to this lackof activity and theresulting boredom of thebears. Broom and JohnsonBoth polar bears spent an excessiveamounts of time engaged in inactivebehaviours.(1993) emphasise that a “profound lack of stimulation is something to whichno vertebrate is likely to adapt”. 56Whether in the wild or in captivity, every living organism is affected by theenvironment in which it lives. 8 Individuals have to constantly adapt to thechanging environment. However, some environmental stimuli are so intense,prolonged or frequent that adaptation is impossible 56 and this result in anincreased level of stress in the animals. This can be manifested in a varietyof ways, including changes in the animal’s behaviour.Following initial exposure to a stressful stimulus, the general emergencyresponse is initiated, but once control over the situation is not achieved,two distinct coping mechanisms become activated in both humans and nonhumananimals. 57 They are referred to as active and passive chronic stressresponse. 8The active chronic stress response is characterised by active attempts tocontrol a situation by fighting or fleeing. The passive chronic stress responseis initiated after active strategies have failed to resolve the problem. 8 It ischaracterised by increased pituitary-adrenocortical activity, immobility andindications of depression. 8 It is also characterised by the behaviouralWhat’s a polar bear doing in the tropics?42www.acres.org.sg
StartpointLand areaWaterfallKicks offswimmingon back,then divesdownOverhangingBoulderSwims underthis boulderPoolUnderwaterBoulderSwims on thesurface toboulder wherehe rests for afew secondsThe stereotypic swimming route most commonly used by Inuka.response termed ‘learned helplessness’. 58 This involves the shift of thebehaviour of the animals from an active state into a more passive, inactivestate.Both Sheba and Inuka have been recorded displaying various abnormalstereotypic behaviours including pacing and swimming in a stereotypicfashion. Sheba also appears to have developed a chronic tongue playinghabit (constant manipulation of the tongue with no apparent purpose),which has been recognised as a form of stereotypic behaviour. 59,60Stereotypic behaviours are repeatedly performed, relatively invariantmovement patterns with no apparent function or goal. 61 These behavioursare clearly an indication of an abnormal animal-environment interaction. 7For most wild mammals in captivity, this probably means that the animalgrew up in or is currently living in an environment suboptimal for meeting itsnatural, species-specific behavioural needs. 7 These stereotypic behavioursare almost unique to captive animals. 59Stereotypies in captive animals have been associated with poor welfare forfive decades. 8 This is because they tend to develop in situations that havebeen identified as stressful and aversive. 7,62 On the basis of behavioural andphysiological evidence such situations include lack of stimulation,unavoidable fear or frustration 63 and absence of a resource, or resources,required by the animal. 64 Such resource requirements can range from accessWhat’s a polar bear doing in the tropics?43www.acres.org.sg
Page 16 and 17: animal is diving. They also eat car
Page 18 and 19: individual’s own choices. This ab
Page 20 and 21: Following his investigations into t
Page 22 and 23: What’s a polar bear doing in the
Page 24 and 25: Accommodation20 All animal accommod
Page 26 and 27: Table 3.1 Categories of behaviours
Page 28 and 29: TABLE 3.5 Lying flat behaviour prof
Page 30 and 31: 3.2.1 Adaptation to Arctic coldPola
Page 32 and 33: 3.2.2 Reasons for panting and lying
Page 34 and 35: 3.2.3 Heat stress experienced in Si
Page 36 and 37: the pool area. However, theeffectiv
Page 38 and 39: 3.2.4 Algal growth in furInuka cove
Page 42 and 43: Table 4.1 Categories of behaviours
Page 44 and 45: TABLE 4.4 Activity pattern of Sheba
Page 46 and 47: TABLE 4.6 Abnormal behaviour profil
Page 50 and 51: to more space, a more complex, quie
Page 52 and 53: Guidelines and LegislationsGuidelin
Page 54 and 55: equirements stated in the Province
Page 56 and 57: problem with these old designs is t
Page 58 and 59: SubstrateThe polar bear enclosure d
Page 60 and 61: In the 2004 report, Acresrecommende
Page 62 and 63: FurnitureThe enclosure does not pro
Page 64 and 65: Private areasThe lack of private ar
Page 66 and 67: 5.1.2 Problems in husbandryUse/acce
Page 68 and 69: At a workshop on the Behavioural Ne
Page 70 and 71: disintegrating objects in an enclos
Page 72 and 73: interesting. At no time were the be
Page 74 and 75: 5.2.3 Condition of teeth 10Sheba ha
Page 76 and 77: demonstrating species-appropriate b
Page 80 and 81: Today there is just one polar bear
Page 84 and 85: Providing natural substrates in enc
Page 86 and 87: Stimulating olfactory and rubbing b
Page 90 and 91: Singapore Zoo states that they are
Page 92 and 93: 22. Wood, D. 1995. Bears. Whitecap
Page 94 and 95: 66. Baars, D. and Weegenaar, A. 199
Page 96 and 97: APPENDIX I: GUIDELINES FOR ENCLOSUR
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• For polar bears the ratio of wa
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APPENDIX IV: GUIDELINES FOR SUBSTRA
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APPENDIX VI: GUIDELINES FOR PRIVATE
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• Environmental enrichment should
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