Meller Camie L, Croney Candace C, Shepherdson David
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon.
Zoo Biol. 2007 Jan;26(1):51-61. doi: 10.1002/zoo.20119.
Six Asian elephants at the Oregon Zoo were observed to determine the effects of a poured rubber flooring substrate on captive Asian elephant behavior. Room utilization also was evaluated in seven rooms used for indoor housing, including Front and Back observation areas. Data were collected in three phases. Phase I (Baseline Phase) examined elephant behavior on old concrete floors. In Phase II (Choice Phase), elephant behavior was observed in the Back observation area where room sizes were comparable and when a choice of flooring substrates was available. Phase III (Final Phase) examined elephant behavior when all rooms in both observation areas, Front and Back, were converted to rubberized flooring. Room use in both observation areas remained stable throughout the study, suggesting that flooring substrate did not affect room use choice. However, there was a clear pattern of decreased discomfort behaviors on the new rubber flooring. Normal locomotion as well as stereotypic locomotion increased on the new rubber flooring. In addition, resting behavior changed to more closely reflect the resting behavior of wild elephants, which typically sleep standing up, and spend very little time in lateral recumbence. Overall, these findings suggest that the rubber flooring may have provided a more comfortable surface for locomotion as well as standing resting behavior. It is suggested that poured rubber flooring may be a beneficial addition to similar animal facilities. Zoo Biol 0:1-11, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
研究人员对俄勒冈动物园的六头亚洲象进行了观察，以确定浇注橡胶地板基材对圈养亚洲象行为的影响。同时还对七个用于室内饲养的房间（包括前后观察区）的空间利用情况进行了评估。数据收集分三个阶段进行。第一阶段（基线阶段）研究大象在旧水泥地面上的行为。第二阶段（选择阶段），在前后观察区房间大小相近且有多种地板基材可供选择的情况下，观察大象在后部观察区的行为。第三阶段（最终阶段），当两个观察区（前后）的所有房间都换成橡胶地板后，研究大象的行为。在整个研究过程中，两个观察区的空间使用情况保持稳定，这表明地板基材不会影响空间使用选择。然而，在新的橡胶地板上，大象不适行为明显减少。在新橡胶地板上，正常行走以及刻板行走都有所增加。此外，休息行为也发生了变化，更接近野生大象的休息行为，野生大象通常站着睡觉，很少侧卧。总体而言，这些发现表明，橡胶地板可能为大象行走和站立休息行为提供了更舒适的表面。建议在类似的动物设施中添加浇注橡胶地板。《动物园生物学》0:1 - 11, 2007。(c) 2007威利 - 利斯公司。
