Acknowledgements Book of abstracts - Publicaties - Vlaanderen.be

Paul Koene presents Poster 97 during the poster sessions in the Aula.
Session theme 8: Application of welfare assessment protocols
169
Poster 97
FELINE WELFARE IN THE ZOO: FROM INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT TO
ZOO LEVEL
P. Koene
Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Felids are predators with a large repertoire of appetitive hunting behaviours. In captivity this
repertoire of appetitive behaviours is not performed when food is provided for free to the animals.
This is one of the main causes of the occurrence of stereotypic behaviour. By making the food less
easy to obtain the animal has to work for its meal.
In this paper we give an example of the evaluation of carcass feeding in a number of zoo housed
large felids on the occurrence of stereotypic behaviour. Evaluation is done on an individual level
using single-case randomization tests (SCRT). Results obtained on an individual level are combined
on zoo level using meta-analysis.
Subjects were two Amur panthers (Panthera pardus orientalis), one snow panther (Panthera uncia)
and two Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica). On each of the 17-20 experimental days food was
presented to the individual animal according to a predetermined schedule. Days with normal food
(pieces of meat), days without food (fasting), days with experimental food (carcasses) were pseudorandomly
varied. Stereotypic behaviour was measured using instantaneous scan sampling during 2
hrs after feeding (direct effect) and during 2 hrs in the evening (indirect effect).
Significant effects of the feeding schedule were found on several behaviour elements using singlecase
analysis. Overall, carcass feeding decreased resting and increased exploration (SCRT,
p0.05). On fasting days
overall more stereotypic behaviour was recorded (meta-analysis, p