Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study
Objects and semiochemicals may be used as enrichment in zoos. Domestic cats release Fraction 3 of Facial Pheromone (F3) by rubbing the muzzle to convey relational and territorial information. We aimed to evaluate whether and how the introduction of novel objects and scent stimuli could change the be...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/11/1762 |
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| author | Valentina Bertoni Barbara Regaiolli Alessandro Cozzi Stefano Vaglio Caterina Spiezio |
| author_facet | Valentina Bertoni Barbara Regaiolli Alessandro Cozzi Stefano Vaglio Caterina Spiezio |
| author_sort | Valentina Bertoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objects and semiochemicals may be used as enrichment in zoos. Domestic cats release Fraction 3 of Facial Pheromone (F3) by rubbing the muzzle to convey relational and territorial information. We aimed to evaluate whether and how the introduction of novel objects and scent stimuli could change the behaviour of one group (N = 5 subjects) of adult European wildcats (<i>Felis silvestris silvestris</i>) hosted at Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Italy. We assessed the behavioural changes following the introduction of novel objects (blocks and rags) and scent (synthetic F3) via observations over four experimental conditions (baseline, rags, F3 rags, blocks) using continuous focal animal sampling. Our results showed that no behavioural differences were found between the different conditions and the baseline, except for the condition with blocks when significantly less exploration was observed. Between conditions, wildcats performed significantly less individual explorative, affiliative, and agonistic behaviours, but more individual inactivity, when exposed to rags after F3 administration. Our findings suggest that the enrichment programme did not substantively affect the behaviour of the zoo-housed wildcats. However, the behavioural differences recorded between conditions suggest that, while novel objects introduced as visual stimuli (blocks) do not affect the wildcat behaviour, novel manipulative objects (rags) might impact their behaviour. Moreover, the changes in affiliative and agonistic behaviours displayed during the condition with exposure to rags sprayed with F3 suggest that such semiochemical could play an appeasement role within this study group. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:12:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c52fa7c42a574a66afad6eed1827e61f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T03:12:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-c52fa7c42a574a66afad6eed1827e61f2023-11-18T07:29:23ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-05-011311176210.3390/ani13111762Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case StudyValentina Bertoni0Barbara Regaiolli1Alessandro Cozzi2Stefano Vaglio3Caterina Spiezio4Research and Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva—Garda Zoological Park, 37012 Bussolengo, ItalyResearch and Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva—Garda Zoological Park, 37012 Bussolengo, ItalyResearch Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology, 84400 Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, FranceAnimal Behaviour and Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UKResearch and Conservation Department, Parco Natura Viva—Garda Zoological Park, 37012 Bussolengo, ItalyObjects and semiochemicals may be used as enrichment in zoos. Domestic cats release Fraction 3 of Facial Pheromone (F3) by rubbing the muzzle to convey relational and territorial information. We aimed to evaluate whether and how the introduction of novel objects and scent stimuli could change the behaviour of one group (N = 5 subjects) of adult European wildcats (<i>Felis silvestris silvestris</i>) hosted at Parco Natura Viva-Garda Zoological Park, Italy. We assessed the behavioural changes following the introduction of novel objects (blocks and rags) and scent (synthetic F3) via observations over four experimental conditions (baseline, rags, F3 rags, blocks) using continuous focal animal sampling. Our results showed that no behavioural differences were found between the different conditions and the baseline, except for the condition with blocks when significantly less exploration was observed. Between conditions, wildcats performed significantly less individual explorative, affiliative, and agonistic behaviours, but more individual inactivity, when exposed to rags after F3 administration. Our findings suggest that the enrichment programme did not substantively affect the behaviour of the zoo-housed wildcats. However, the behavioural differences recorded between conditions suggest that, while novel objects introduced as visual stimuli (blocks) do not affect the wildcat behaviour, novel manipulative objects (rags) might impact their behaviour. Moreover, the changes in affiliative and agonistic behaviours displayed during the condition with exposure to rags sprayed with F3 suggest that such semiochemical could play an appeasement role within this study group.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/11/1762wildcatsF3 semiochemicalscent enrichment programme |
| spellingShingle | Valentina Bertoni Barbara Regaiolli Alessandro Cozzi Stefano Vaglio Caterina Spiezio Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study Animals wildcats F3 semiochemical scent enrichment programme |
| title | Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study |
| title_full | Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study |
| title_fullStr | Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study |
| title_short | Can an Enrichment Programme with Novel Manipulative and Scent Stimuli Change the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed European Wildcats? A Case Study |
| title_sort | can an enrichment programme with novel manipulative and scent stimuli change the behaviour of zoo housed european wildcats a case study |
| topic | wildcats F3 semiochemical scent enrichment programme |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/11/1762 |
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