Dataset Information

Assessing Animal Welfare in Animal-Visitor Interactions in Zoos and Other Facilities. A Pilot Study Involving Giraffes.

ABSTRACT: In recent years, awareness of the controversial aspects connected with wild animal-visitor interactions (AVIs) in zoos and other facilities has increased due to cultural changes. Therefore, the need to apply transparent procedures to evaluate AVIs programs in zoos and similar facilities has also increased. This study presents results of animal welfare's assessment of a pilot test of a protocol based on six steps that aim to explore and assess the overall value of AVIs considering the impact both on animals and visitors. In the present paper, we discuss the multifaceted approach to animal welfare assessment during animal-visitor interactions, combining quantitative behavioural observations/analysis and a welfare risk-assessment procedure, which forms the basis of the six-step protocol. Pilot testing of said approach to animal welfare assessment involved giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) in an Italian zoo. No change in behaviour, suggestive of an increased welfare risk to the animals, was found. The risk analysis reported overall low risks for welfare, whereas enclosure analysis highlighted that the enclosure was suitable for allowing interactions without jeopardising animal welfare, mainly because it allowed animals to choose whether to interact or withdraw from interactions without decreasing the space available to them.

SUBMITTER: Normando S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6162555 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Assessing Animal Welfare in Animal-Visitor Interactions in Zoos and Other Facilities. A Pilot Study Involving Giraffes.

Normando Simona S Pollastri Ilaria I Florio Daniela D Ferrante Linda L Ferrante Linda L Macchi Elisabetta E Isaja Valentina V de Mori Barbara B

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI 20180830 9

In recent years, awareness of the controversial aspects connected with wild animal-visitor interactions (AVIs) in zoos and other facilities has increased due to cultural changes. Therefore, the need to apply transparent procedures to evaluate AVIs programs in zoos and similar facilities has also increased. This study presents results of animal welfare's assessment of a pilot test of a protocol based on six steps that aim to explore and assess the overall value of AVIs considering the impact both ...[more]

PMID: 30200194

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Project description:Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVI) are activities offered by zoos and other tourism facilities, in which visitors come into close contact with animals. These activities can promote conservational and educational content, raise conservation mindedness and responsibility for the environment and animal welfare, but if not properly managed can jeopardize visitors' and animals' well-being and conservation efforts. The Animal-Visitor Interaction assessment Protocol (AVIP) has been designed to perform an integrated and multidisciplinary assessment of these activities, encompassing the "One Health, One Welfare" approach. AVIP throughout six different steps allows to assess the effects of AVIs both on animals, visitors, and the staff involved. Results can assist zoos to improve management decisions, ensure a transparent evaluation of their activities and promote conservation education goals. Lemurs walk-in enclosures have become increasingly popular among zoos, nevertheless studies focused on their assessment are still scarce. To validate AVIP to this particular AVI, we applied it to assess a walk-in enclosure hosting five Lemur catta in an Italian zoo. Results of behavioural and physiological analyses suggested no changes in animal welfare level and the Animal Welfare Risk Assessment showed low animal welfare risks. Two Visitor Experience Surveys were used to interview 291 visitors, showing that the assessed AVI could help promote the zoo's conservation objectives and visitor education. Risk Assessment found low and medium risks to the health and safety of visitors. Results were then combined to perform a final ethical assessment. Some potential ethical concerns were detected, but the outcomes indicated that these conflicts were well managed. In the context of recent findings AVIP demonstrated its potential for application also in assessing AVIs involving primates. Our findings confirmed the usefulness of AVIP in assessing and monitoring AVIs, allowing to gain key information in a single process on multiple welfare-related parameters, educational impact, safety of the main stakeholders involved, and ethical concerns.

Project description:Cetaceans are long-lived, social species that are valued as ambassadors inspiring the public to engage in conservation action. Under professional care, they are critical partners with the scientific community to understanding the biology, behavior, physiology, health, and welfare requirements of this taxonomic group. The Cetacean Welfare Study was a highly collaborative research effort among zoos and aquariums accredited by the Alliance for Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums and/or the Association of Zoos & Aquariums that provided important empirical and comparative information on the care and management of cetaceans. The goal was to identify factors that were related to the welfare of bottlenose dolphins and to develop reference intervals and values for common and novel indicators of health and welfare for common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus), beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), and Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). Data were collected from cetaceans at 43 accredited zoos and aquariums in seven countries in 2018 and 2019. This overview presents a summary of findings from the initial research articles that resulted from the study titled "Towards understanding the welfare of cetaceans in zoos and aquariums." With multiple related objectives, animal-based metrics were used to advance frameworks of clinical care and target key conditions that were associated with good welfare of cetaceans in zoo and aquarium environments. As a result of this collaboration, species-specific reference intervals and values for blood variables and fecal hormone metabolites were developed and are freely available in an iOS application called ZooPhysioTrak. The results suggested that environmental enrichment programs and social management factors were more strongly related to behaviors likely indicative of positive welfare than habitat characteristics for common and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins. These findings can be widely applied to optimize care and future science-based welfare practice.

Project description:Animal welfare is a high social and political priority and is enshrined in European and national legislation. This systematic literature review (funded by the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture; grant no. 2817806A18) was conducted to find animal and management-based indicators that could be influenced by changes in pig handling and management procedures on the day of slaughter and, therefore, will directly result in improved animal welfare. For this systematic literature review, following the PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a structured literature search using the databases PubMed®, Web of ScienceTM, and LIVIVO with set search terms and their combinations in German and English. Only peer-reviewed original articles from European countries from 2009 until 2022 that dealt with welfare during transport and/or slaughter of fattening pigs and offered potential measurable indicators on the basis of the animal or management, and either directly or indirectly recommended handling practices were included. We used the literature management system EndNoteTM, and after duplicate removal, a total of 1099 records were found for further analysis. After analysis and discussion in the review team, which consisted of three experts in total, 105 articles underwent full-text screening. Finally, 39 articles were included in the results for this systematic literature review. According to this systematic literature review, the following procedures have a positive impact on the animal welfare of pigs on the day of slaughter. Calm-rather than rough-handling of pigs was the most influential factor. This can be achieved by using animal-friendly driving aids. Loud noise should be avoided in general or reduced as far as possible. Transport time is not always influenceable, but shorter transport duration with stocking density as stated by the European regulations as a maximum will reduce stress in pigs. Our review showed that there are differing scientific results about lairage duration, although this should be set in relation to prior stress and transport time. Knowledge of good stunning parameters, such as gas concentration, exposure time to the gas, recommended amperage, and current flow duration is essential. If electrical stunning is performed, the correct attachment of electrodes is crucial. The control of stunning effectiveness is extremely important to avoid suffering and pain, with the proviso that it is assessed on the basis of multiple parameters. The corneal reflex, regular gasping, and the up-righting reflex could be assessed together. Certificates of competence and continuing educational programmes for the personnel form the basis of animal-friendly handling and a stressless slaughter routine. It can be assumed that the results of this systematic literature review reflect the state of current research of pig welfare during transport and slaughter in the European Union, even though it must be assumed that not all relevant points were covered by the review, which can be seen as a limitation at the same time because important non-European or older publications could not be included.

Dataset Information

Assessing Animal Welfare in Animal-Visitor Interactions in Zoos and Other Facilities. A Pilot Study Involving Giraffes.

Publications

Assessing Animal Welfare in Animal-Visitor Interactions in Zoos and Other Facilities. A Pilot Study Involving Giraffes.

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