Harvey Andrea M, Morton John M, Mellor David J, Russell Vibeke, Chapple Rosalie S, Ramp Daniel
Centre for Compassionate Conservation, School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
Jemora Pty Ltd., P.O. Box 2277, Geelong, VIC 3220, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Jul 15;11(7):2101. doi: 10.3390/ani11072101.
We previously developed a Ten-Stage Protocol for scientifically assessing the welfare of individual free-roaming wild animals using the Five Domains Model. The protocol includes developing methods for measuring or observing welfare indices. In this study, we assessed the use of remote camera traps to evaluate an extensive range of welfare indicators in individual free-roaming wild horses. Still images and videos were collected and analysed to assess whether horses could be detected and identified individually, which welfare indicators could be reliably evaluated, and whether behaviour could be quantitatively assessed. Remote camera trapping was successful in detecting and identifying horses (75% on still images and 72% on video observation events), across a range of habitats including woodlands where horses could not be directly observed. Twelve indicators of welfare across the Five Domains were assessed with equal frequency on both still images and video, with those most frequently assessable being body condition score (73% and 79% of observation events, respectively), body posture (76% for both), coat condition (42% and 52%, respectively), and whether or not the horse was sweating excessively (42% and 45%, respectively). An additional five indicators could only be assessed on video; those most frequently observable being presence or absence of weakness (66%), qualitative behavioural assessment (60%), presence or absence of shivering (51%), and gait at walk (50%). Specific behaviours were identified in 93% of still images and 84% of video events, and proportions of time different behaviours were captured could be calculated. Most social behaviours were rarely observed, but close spatial proximity to other horses, as an indicator of social bonds, was recorded in 36% of still images, and 29% of video observation events. This is the first study that describes detailed methodology for these purposes. The results of this study can also form the basis of application to other species, which could contribute significantly to advancing the field of wild animal welfare.
我们之前制定了一个十阶段协议，用于使用五域模型科学评估自由放养的个体野生动物的福利状况。该协议包括开发测量或观察福利指标的方法。在本研究中，我们评估了使用远程相机陷阱来评估自由放养的个体野马的一系列福利指标。收集并分析了静态图像和视频，以评估是否能够单独检测和识别马匹、哪些福利指标能够得到可靠评估，以及行为是否能够进行定量评估。远程相机陷阱成功地在包括无法直接观察到马匹的林地在内的一系列栖息地中检测和识别了马匹（静态图像上的成功率为75%，视频观察事件中的成功率为72%）。在静态图像和视频上对五域中的十二个福利指标进行了同等频率的评估，其中最常可评估的指标是身体状况评分（分别为73%和79%的观察事件）、身体姿势（两者均为76%）、被毛状况（分别为42%和52%）以及马匹是否过度出汗（分别为42%和45%）。另外五个指标只能在视频上评估；其中最常观察到的是是否存在虚弱（66%）、定性行为评估（60%）、是否颤抖（51%）以及行走步态（50%）。在93%的静态图像和84%的视频事件中识别出了特定行为，并且可以计算出不同行为被捕捉到的时间比例。大多数社交行为很少被观察到，但作为社会联系指标的与其他马匹的紧密空间接近度，在36%的静态图像和29%的视频观察事件中被记录到。这是第一项描述用于这些目的详细方法的研究。本研究的结果也可作为应用于其他物种的基础，这可能对推进野生动物福利领域有重大贡献。
