Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus
Studies on the cognitive abilities of manatees are limited despite their importance for the environmental enrichment and welfare of individuals in captivity and the understanding of manatee behaviour in the wild. Our study analyses how the presence of new stimuli and their association with food may...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Académie des sciences
2020-06-01
|
| Series: | Comptes Rendus Biologies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/biologies/articles/10.5802/crbiol.6/ |
| _version_ | 1827785092867555328 |
|---|---|
| author | Hénaut, Yann Lara-Sánchez, Lizbeth Esmeralda Morales-Vela, Benjamín Machkour-M’Rabet, Salima |
| author_facet | Hénaut, Yann Lara-Sánchez, Lizbeth Esmeralda Morales-Vela, Benjamín Machkour-M’Rabet, Salima |
| author_sort | Hénaut, Yann |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Studies on the cognitive abilities of manatees are limited despite their importance for the environmental enrichment and welfare of individuals in captivity and the understanding of manatee behaviour in the wild. Our study analyses how the presence of new stimuli and their association with food may have changed the behaviour of an Antillean manatee called Daniel. First, Daniel was observed in the absence of stimuli and subsequently, in step two, presented with the presence of four different geometrical shapes. During step three, we trained Daniel to eat from the square, while in step four he was presented with the four shapes without food. The behaviour and interaction of the manatee with the square increased considerably. We observed that three and twelve months after training the manatee still chose the square and displayed behaviours toward this specific shape. This study allowed us to formally demonstrate the ability of manatees to associate visual cues with food and increase activity with environmental and occupational devices. Our results open up new perspectives for behavioural studies on manatees, in particular those associated with cognition, management and welfare in captivity. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:13:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-85ac3f489a194f39bd811a2788bc17f1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1768-3238 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:13:16Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Académie des sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Comptes Rendus Biologies |
| spelling | doaj.art-85ac3f489a194f39bd811a2788bc17f12023-10-24T14:25:10ZengAcadémie des sciencesComptes Rendus Biologies1768-32382020-06-013431738710.5802/crbiol.610.5802/crbiol.6Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatusHénaut, Yann0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8805-1739Lara-Sánchez, Lizbeth Esmeralda1Morales-Vela, Benjamín2Machkour-M’Rabet, Salima3Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, GAIA-BIO, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). Av. del Centenario Km. 5.5, C.P. 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, MexicoLaboratorio de Conducta Animal, GAIA-BIO, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). Av. del Centenario Km. 5.5, C.P. 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, MexicoSistemática, Ecología y Manejo de Recursos Acuáticos, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Avenida Centenario Km 5.5, AP 424, 77900 Chetumal, Quintana Roo, MexicoLaboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Conservación, GAIA-BIO, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). Av. del Centenario Km. 5.5, C.P. 77014, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, MexicoStudies on the cognitive abilities of manatees are limited despite their importance for the environmental enrichment and welfare of individuals in captivity and the understanding of manatee behaviour in the wild. Our study analyses how the presence of new stimuli and their association with food may have changed the behaviour of an Antillean manatee called Daniel. First, Daniel was observed in the absence of stimuli and subsequently, in step two, presented with the presence of four different geometrical shapes. During step three, we trained Daniel to eat from the square, while in step four he was presented with the four shapes without food. The behaviour and interaction of the manatee with the square increased considerably. We observed that three and twelve months after training the manatee still chose the square and displayed behaviours toward this specific shape. This study allowed us to formally demonstrate the ability of manatees to associate visual cues with food and increase activity with environmental and occupational devices. Our results open up new perspectives for behavioural studies on manatees, in particular those associated with cognition, management and welfare in captivity.https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/biologies/articles/10.5802/crbiol.6/Animal welfareAntillean manateeAssociative learningMemory |
| spellingShingle | Hénaut, Yann Lara-Sánchez, Lizbeth Esmeralda Morales-Vela, Benjamín Machkour-M’Rabet, Salima Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus Comptes Rendus Biologies Animal welfare Antillean manatee Associative learning Memory |
| title | Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus |
| title_full | Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus |
| title_fullStr | Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus |
| title_full_unstemmed | Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus |
| title_short | Learning capacities and welfare in an Antillean manatee, Trichechus manatus manatus |
| title_sort | learning capacities and welfare in an antillean manatee trichechus manatus manatus |
| topic | Animal welfare Antillean manatee Associative learning Memory |
| url | https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/biologies/articles/10.5802/crbiol.6/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT henautyann learningcapacitiesandwelfareinanantilleanmanateetrichechusmanatusmanatus AT larasanchezlizbethesmeralda learningcapacitiesandwelfareinanantilleanmanateetrichechusmanatusmanatus AT moralesvelabenjamin learningcapacitiesandwelfareinanantilleanmanateetrichechusmanatusmanatus AT machkourmrabetsalima learningcapacitiesandwelfareinanantilleanmanateetrichechusmanatusmanatus |