Fernandez Eduardo J, Timberlake William
School of Behavior Analysis, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W University Blvd, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA.
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 1101 East 10th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
Behav Processes. 2019 Nov;168:103943. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.103943. Epub 2019 Aug 31.
Stereotypies in captive animals are typically defined as repetitive, invariant behavioral patterns with no obvious goal or function. They are often attributed to boredom or fear and treated by introducing occupational stimuli. The present work on captive walruses examined the relationship between walrus stereotypies and species-typical foraging behaviors engaged in by their wild counterparts. Two types of walrus stereotypies were studied: (a) patterned swimming around their pool, or (b) repetitive sucking of some item, typically their own flipper. We tested two enrichment devices under filled and empty conditions: large foam/rubber mats and hollow boomer balls, both with multiple holes in them. Both devices were designed to stimulate the use of flippers, vibrissae, and mouth suctioning of small food in the devices. Walruses in the devices with food conditions increased locomotion and device contact and decreased engaging in stereotypies. We conclude: (1) daily stereotypies in these captive walruses are based on incomplete behavioral foraging "loops" (2) providing stimuli supporting completed foraging sequences can reduce stereotypies and increase active foraging components.
圈养动物的刻板行为通常被定义为重复、不变的行为模式，没有明显的目的或功能。它们常被归因于无聊或恐惧，并通过引入职业刺激来处理。目前关于圈养海象的研究考察了海象刻板行为与其野生同类所从事的典型觅食行为之间的关系。研究了两种类型的海象刻板行为：（a）在水池周围有规律地游动，或（b）反复吮吸某个物品，通常是它们自己的鳍状肢。我们在装满和空的条件下测试了两种丰富装置：大型泡沫/橡胶垫和中空的布默球，两者都有多个孔。这两种装置都是为了刺激鳍状肢、触须的使用以及对装置中小食物的口吸。处于有食物条件装置中的海象增加了活动和与装置的接触，并减少了刻板行为。我们得出结论：（1）这些圈养海象的日常刻板行为基于不完整的行为觅食“循环”；（2）提供支持完整觅食序列的刺激可以减少刻板行为并增加主动觅食成分。
