Seasonal variation of effects of environmental enrichments for captive Asiatic black bears (Ursus thibetanus)

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  • 飼育下ツキノワグマにおける環境エンリッチメント効果の季節変化
  • シイクカ ツキノワグマ ニ オケル カンキョウ エンリッチメント コウカ ノ キセツ ヘンカ

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Abstract

The behavioral and physiological features of captive bears are deeply related to the seasons. Therefore, it is considered that influences on behavior through environmental enrichment also have seasonal changes. This study evaluated effects of environmental enrichment on three Asiatic black bears (three females) at the Morioka Zoological Park through investigation of their behaviors in each season. This study is intended to elucidate seasonal changes of the effects of environmental enrichment. The bears lived 9:00-16:30 in the yard, which contained rocks, a pergola, and a pool. The bears fed once each day in a shed at about 16:30. Branches were put beside the pool or in it (without water) and in the pergola. Chestnuts were hidden three each at 10 openings in the yard's rocks and branches before 9:00. Those hiding points were changed daily throughout the experimental period. We investigated their behavior every 1 min through direct observation before the study and at 1 day, 1 and 2 weeks, and 1 month after enrichment. The solitary play behavior in spring, the exploratory behavior and the solitary play behavior in summer, and the exploratory behavior in autumn increased (Kruskal-Wallis test, P<0.05). Moreover, the ingestive behavior was slightly higher in spring than at the start. The ingestive behavior in summer decreased. The ingestive behavior of autumn increased to three or more times. Therefore, it was considered that the influence of food hiding performed as enrichment appeared most in autumn. As described above, results suggest that the environmental enrichment which is urged behavior without regard to ingestion (e.g. solitary play behavior) is effective during spring-summer. Environmental enrichment, which is urged behavior in connection with ingestion, is effective in autumn when the ingestion demand strengthens in preparation for hibernation.

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