Zoo Atlanta
June 14, 2023
In our last Animal Science blog, we explored how observation can provide useful insights into animal behavior. Observing animals and recording their behavior is a great first step in determining animal welfare. But with these metrics, you get just one snapshot of the big picture. Other parts of the same photo may be less noticeable. Animal welfare science is therefore complex. As scientists, we try to see the big picture by taking a multi-step approach to making sure we meet all of our animals’ needs.
These multi-level approaches include aspects of psychology, biology, ethology, and even computer science, and offer many possibilities for assessing the welfare and emotional state of animals at the Atlanta Zoo. provide. Emotional state assessments therefore include physiological and biological measurements, preference tests, consumer demand/motivation tests, cognitive assessments and, of course, behavioral observations. All of these assessments help us understand the animal’s needs and address welfare issues. Let us discuss two of these approaches in more detail: physiological assessment and palatability testing.
Physiological assessment uses hormones (such as cortisol) and other parameters such as heart rate to determine health status. Changes in hormone levels may be useful as fluctuations indicate an appropriate response to stimulation and can be compared to an established baseline. Cortisol is a hormone associated with arousal, either excitement or stress. When measured alongside other parameters, it helps scientists understand which parameters animals are experiencing. As with most welfare assessment methods, physiological parameters should not be used solely to assess welfare due to contextual inconsistencies. Different situations can trigger the same response of increased heart rate and cortisol levels, but they don’t necessarily mean the same thing. Cortisol can be collected through saliva, fecal samples, or blood. Since zoos do not conduct invasive studies, they primarily use faecal samples. To use saliva, animals must be specially trained to participate voluntarily.
Preference tests are another way of measuring animal welfare. In this type of assessment, animals are often given a choice from more than one resource, such as food and sleeping options. We give Floyd the gorilla his three options for bedding material: wood wool, shredded cloth, and hay, and we can tailor bedding preferences to his choice. Motivational testing can also be used to determine how strong these preferences are. For example, you can test how hard an animal will try to access highly favored resources. Let’s say Floyd’s favorite bedding item is wood wool. So we put all the options behind heavy doors. We expect Floyd to accept these higher “costs” (which is why the motivation test is also known as the “motivation test”). Consumer demand-Theory of Economics) to access your favorite resources. Like any rating, preference tests must be carefully designed. Settings are subject to change and the results of these tests should not be taken as final. In such a test he may only offer two options, which may simply indicate that the animal is choosing one over the other, but it is possible that there are other options that are more preferred. There is also sexuality. Perhaps Mr. Floyd’s preference was unknown, her fourth choice, and he chose wood wool simply because it was superior to his two other choices, but in the truest sense of the word, it’s a preference. It’s not the target. For this reason, ideally he should include 3 or more items in the preference test.
Each of these different approaches individually offers several aspects relevant to animal well-being, but together they can begin to create the picture needed to assess overall well-being. can. Using animal-first approaches and assessments, Atlanta Zoo researchers strive to see the big picture so you can make informed decisions about animal care and well-being.
Alex Allen
research assistant