School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Chuo, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, Japan.
Anim Sci J. 2012 Jul;83(7):562-70. doi: 10.1111/j.1740-0929.2011.00992.x. Epub 2012 Jan 4.
This study investigated the effects of changes in daily management on behavior of a solitary female elephant in a zoo. The activity budget and space utilization of the subject and the management changes were recorded for 1 year after the conspecific male died. The observation days could be categorized into five clusters (C1-C5) by the characteristic behavioral pattern of each day. C1 had the highest percentage of resting of all clusters, and was observed after the loss of the conspecific and the beginning of use of the indoor exhibition room at night. C2, which had the highest percentage of stereotypy of any cluster, was observed after the beginning of habituation to the indoor exhibition room. Also, when the time schedule of management was changed irregularly, the subject frequently exhibited stereotypic pacing (C2, C4). The subject tended to rest when exhibiting lameness in the left hind limb (C3). In C5, activity reached a high level when she could utilize a familiar place under a stable management schedule. These results indicate that management changes affected the mental stability of an elephant in the early stage of social isolation.
本研究调查了日常管理变化对动物园中独居雌性大象行为的影响。在同种雄性大象死亡后，对该动物的活动预算和空间利用以及管理变化进行了为期 1 年的记录。根据每天的特征性行为模式，观察日可分为五个集群（C1-C5）。C1 在所有集群中休息的比例最高，在失去同种动物后观察到，并在夜间开始使用室内展示室。C2 是任何集群中刻板行为比例最高的集群，在适应室内展示室后观察到。此外，当管理时间表不规则变化时，动物经常表现出刻板的踱步（C2、C4）。当动物左后肢出现跛行时，它往往会休息（C3）。在 C5 中，当她能够在稳定的管理计划下利用熟悉的地方时，活动达到了一个较高的水平。这些结果表明，管理变化影响了社交隔离早期大象的精神稳定性。
