Behavioral Effects on Caged and Captive Animals - Report Example

Behavioral Effects on Caged and Captive Animals Captivity can be used to describe generally the act of keeping animal irrespective of being livestock, pets or wild animals. This can be done on farm, zoos and private homes. Zoo animals commonly are assumed to live in good and proper conditions. In contrast, this environment in which they dwell in most of their lives may result in different and various ways of abnormal behaviours (Suckow, Weisbroth, and Craig 185). Caged animals specifically those which are not domesticated develop stereotypical behaviour. This behaviour is characterized by animals biting themselves. Retracing their steps back they way they came in (Fox 73). The behavior is usually caused by boredom, stress and adaptability in the new environment. Change in behaviour by captured animals can be studied in the following ways. The activities being engulfed by the animal, auto grooming, scent marking, social behaviours including contact, allogrooming and aggression, stereo type locomotion, consumption behaviour, foraging, locomotion, tree gouging and startle. There are three types of behavioural effects that can be studied in three different ways: passive behaviours, stereotype behaviour and loss of weight appetite behaviour. Stereotype behaviours in caged animals Studies have suggested that stereotypic behaviour is generally an indication of poor psychological well being of the caged animals according to Fox (2). This behaviour does not only affect wild but also domesticated animals. Research has been conducted on primate captured animals t determine how this behaviour can be minimized (Cowgill, and Llewellyn 121). Experiments and observations have shown that environmental factors also cause stereotypes in caged animals. Meera Baines (reporter) has claimed that transportation of Nanuk led to its breakage of a jaw that led to an infection that caused its death at sea world facility. They include factors like hose type, cage size and stress. This usually changes their aggression and social interaction for example animals like tigers. Wendy Mesley brings the fact about the death of beluga whale. For instance stressed mothers are faced with difficulty in breeding healthy young ones which in some instances pass away like baby elephant in Calgary zoo. Determination of behavioural change in captive and caged animals Caged wild animals usually portray different signs when they are changed from their natural environment to a new environment like zoos and orphanages. The following are the different types of signs researchers and studies have based on to clarify the effect of caged animals (Suckow, Weisbroth and Craig 321). Activeness level Caged animal usually portray a reduced level of activity in a new environment. It is caused by stress and boredom experienced by this animal in the new environment. Research has indicated that there will be improved in the level of activeness if the animal finds or adapts to the new environment (Cowgill, and Llewellyn 345). The activeness of animal usually depends on the environment they have adapted. Some zoos and cages do not offer a good environment and the animals being n familiar with the environment it gives them depression. The orca pen has experienced criticism for restricts the whales (Mitchell and Tully 124). This is when PETA has come up with a strategy to build a ten million so that it facilitates whales to circle approximately over a thousand times to equal the distance covered in sea. Foraging It is estimated that wild animal spends up to 60% of their time foraging actively. In caging there is no time or an opportunity to forage and in experiments conducted show that animals under captive have no choice but to wait to be given a type of nutrition mostly not common to it. Caged animals lack the opportunity to move freely in their environment hence limiting their hunting ability (West, Heard, and Nigel 241). This can be reduced by modifying the zoos to make them believe they are in the same habitant as before. Stereotypes Captive animals usually develop due to lack of stimuli, frustration, fear and stress. Sometimes they animals want to escape hence being affected by the stereotype. This behaviour is usually unvarying, repetitive and functionless in these animals. They are caused by poor management and care to these animals (Suckow, Weisbroth and Craig 52). This behaviour can be reduced by environmental enrichment. This means that extending or having larger stimulating enclosures, training, and use of stimuli in the captive animal environment. It should be varied continuously for it to work effectively to minimize boredom. Allogrooming is usually inversely proportional to stress. An increase in allogrooming will usually reduce the stress of animals present in cages and zoos. Aggression, startle response and pilo-tail behaviour Animals such as elephants, baboons and chimpanzees show a lot of aggression when captured than any other animal. If these animals are confined within a small space, the aggression is so volatile than when confined in larger room (Cowgill, and Llewellyn 67). The response therefore means that small space does not take care of these animals’ spatial needs. The flight reaction evidenced in this animals when captured means that the animals are likely stressed and in fear. This also can be minimized by expanding the environment in which these animals operate. Pilo tailing is also an expression of fear, stress and disturbance in animals that are caged (Mitchell and Tully 211). Adaptation of the animal in the new environment will eventually reduce this type of behaviour. South West Airlines Company terminates its contract with SeaWorld for its cruelty to animals. Locomotion Animals usually move freely around their environment. Caging or keeping them in a limited environment hinders their movement greatly (West, Heard, and Nigel 43). This usually causes stereotypic behaviour and can be observed through studies. Taking an example of an animal like an elephant, it is said that it requires moving around eighty kilometers in a day for it to be physically fit. Most cages are not that big hence interfering with the health of these animals (Fox 36). Contact with cage mate. Caging reduces the chances of meeting between animals. Since some animals are separated from the others. They lack sufficient time to spend with other animals of the same breed. For instance in a zoo they may only have three or four elephants in which the majority may be of the same gender. This implies that the animals are being denied the right to meet with other animals of the same sex. Restrictions give rise to certain phenomenon stimuli that can lead these animals to overreact. According to Eliot Kaltz says that zoos interfere with the reproductive system of elephants. Since some zoos are small in size and they cannot accommodate a huge population, moving animals from one place to another bars them away from spending time together. Early separation let to loss of a young elephant in Calgary zoo and this triggered a lot questions about breeding in zoos. Recently seven out of thirteen baby elephants died in Calgary zoo, this also implies that they do not give favourable conditions for breeding. Conclusion Caging and capturing of wild and domestic animals has both negative and positive effects. As we have discussed above most animals require an ample environment the same as those they were dwelling as before (Cowgill, and Llewellyn 43). Lack to provide these necessary conditions, this animal will develop stereotypes caused by anger, bites aggressive movement and anxiety to get out of these cages. The government or respective authorities should build up these sanctuaries well off failure to which we may experience sudden losses like those eight elephants that died (West, Heard, and Nigel 31). PETA has always criticized SeaWorld to release the aquatic animals in capture to go back to coastal life. It raises many questions when such incidences occur. According to Nicole Charky, for a long time the USDA has failed to create and implement policies that restrict that sets standards to run the zoos. Works Cited Cowgill, Ursula M, and Llewellyn R. Williams. Aquatic Toxicology and Hazard Assessment, 12th Volume. Philadelphia, PA: ASTM, 1989. Print. Fox, James G. Laboratory Animal Medicine. Amsterdam: Academic Press, 2002. Internet resource. Mitchell, Mark A, and Thomas N. Tully. Manual of Exotic Pet Practice. St. Louis, Mo: Saunders Elsevier, 2009. Print. Suckow, Mark A, Weisbroth, Steven, H and Craig L Franklin. The Laboratory Rat. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2006. Internet resource. West, Gary, Heard, Darryl J.,and Nigel Caulkett. Zoo Animal and Wildlife Immobilization and Anesthesia. , 2014. Print. Read More