Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>)
Social network analysis (SNA) is an increasingly utilised technique in the literature examining the social structures and organisation of animals and understanding the bonds between groups and individuals. Using a case study as an illustration, the applications of SNA are explored, including the ide...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-11-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/22/3501 |
| _version_ | 1827640872152334336 |
|---|---|
| author | Max Norman Cassie Jones Kara Watson Renato L. Previdelli |
| author_facet | Max Norman Cassie Jones Kara Watson Renato L. Previdelli |
| author_sort | Max Norman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Social network analysis (SNA) is an increasingly utilised technique in the literature examining the social structures and organisation of animals and understanding the bonds between groups and individuals. Using a case study as an illustration, the applications of SNA are explored, including the identification of dominance hierarchies and detection of sources of social pressure, with a particular focus on the applications of SNA to holistic assessments of animal welfare alongside other methods. Based on the examination of social dynamics in a family group of four black lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>), a primate whose social organisation is characterised by patterns of female dominance, it is demonstrated that SNA can be used to examine the affiliative and agonistic interactions between individuals living in human care. SNA showed species-typical forms of female dominance that were largely directed towards the two males, characterised by the initiation of aggressive interactions and male submission. More intricate relationships and consistent social roles across networks were revealed through the examination of SNA. It is concluded that SNA has wide-ranging benefits in the assessment of effects of environmental changes, such as informing social management decisions, developing enrichment and intervention programs, and guiding overall improvements to the housing and care of individual animals. SNA, as part of an animal welfare toolbox, could, therefore, be a pivotal technique for modern animal welfare assessment that considers individual animals and their social lives. By sharing a case study of the technique in use, it is hoped that animal collections may adopt similar modern and evidence-based assessment methods. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:05:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a40489b91aeb4b38a15e28725f3e5a47 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:05:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a40489b91aeb4b38a15e28725f3e5a472023-11-24T14:24:45ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-11-011322350110.3390/ani13223501Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>)Max Norman0Cassie Jones1Kara Watson2Renato L. Previdelli3Department of Animal Management and Saddlery, Capel Manor College, London EN1 4RQ, UKParadise Wildlife Park, Zoological Society of Hertfordshire, Broxbourne EN10 7QA, UKParadise Wildlife Park, Zoological Society of Hertfordshire, Broxbourne EN10 7QA, UKComparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, London NW1 0TU, UKSocial network analysis (SNA) is an increasingly utilised technique in the literature examining the social structures and organisation of animals and understanding the bonds between groups and individuals. Using a case study as an illustration, the applications of SNA are explored, including the identification of dominance hierarchies and detection of sources of social pressure, with a particular focus on the applications of SNA to holistic assessments of animal welfare alongside other methods. Based on the examination of social dynamics in a family group of four black lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>), a primate whose social organisation is characterised by patterns of female dominance, it is demonstrated that SNA can be used to examine the affiliative and agonistic interactions between individuals living in human care. SNA showed species-typical forms of female dominance that were largely directed towards the two males, characterised by the initiation of aggressive interactions and male submission. More intricate relationships and consistent social roles across networks were revealed through the examination of SNA. It is concluded that SNA has wide-ranging benefits in the assessment of effects of environmental changes, such as informing social management decisions, developing enrichment and intervention programs, and guiding overall improvements to the housing and care of individual animals. SNA, as part of an animal welfare toolbox, could, therefore, be a pivotal technique for modern animal welfare assessment that considers individual animals and their social lives. By sharing a case study of the technique in use, it is hoped that animal collections may adopt similar modern and evidence-based assessment methods.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/22/3501social network analysisanimal managementanimal welfarezoos and aquariumsprimatesblack lemur |
| spellingShingle | Max Norman Cassie Jones Kara Watson Renato L. Previdelli Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) Animals social network analysis animal management animal welfare zoos and aquariums primates black lemur |
| title | Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) |
| title_full | Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) |
| title_fullStr | Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) |
| title_short | Social Network Analysis as a Tool in the Care and Wellbeing of Zoo Animals: A Case Study of a Family Group of Black Lemurs (<i>Eulemur macaco</i>) |
| title_sort | social network analysis as a tool in the care and wellbeing of zoo animals a case study of a family group of black lemurs i eulemur macaco i |
| topic | social network analysis animal management animal welfare zoos and aquariums primates black lemur |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/22/3501 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT maxnorman socialnetworkanalysisasatoolinthecareandwellbeingofzooanimalsacasestudyofafamilygroupofblacklemursieulemurmacacoi AT cassiejones socialnetworkanalysisasatoolinthecareandwellbeingofzooanimalsacasestudyofafamilygroupofblacklemursieulemurmacacoi AT karawatson socialnetworkanalysisasatoolinthecareandwellbeingofzooanimalsacasestudyofafamilygroupofblacklemursieulemurmacacoi AT renatolprevidelli socialnetworkanalysisasatoolinthecareandwellbeingofzooanimalsacasestudyofafamilygroupofblacklemursieulemurmacacoi |