Zieliński Damian, Nawłatyna Piotr, Wójcik Zofia, Sobieszek Barbara, Słaby Arkadiusz, Nolewajka Martyna, Kapustka Joanna
Department of Animal Ethology and Wildlife Management, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka St. 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Student Research Club of Animal Behavior and Welfare: Terraristics Section, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka St. 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jun 25;14(13):1872. doi: 10.3390/ani14131872.
Given the growing number of events involving exotic animals, it is crucial to prioritize the well-being of the animals involved. This study aims to evaluate the quality of animal presentation at a selected fair in Poland and assess the level of animal welfare evident in the exhibition boxes, contributing to the ongoing dialogue on this important issue. The evaluators used a five-point Likert scale and a Yes/No system to analyze the living conditions during the fair, including the size of containers, presence of substrate, and environmental enrichment. They also assessed the occurrence of visual abnormal postures and behaviors to gauge the overall level of welfare. To ensure the reliability and consistency of the data and minimize potential bias, each evaluator repeated the rating process three times, with a three-week interval between each session. An average value was then calculated for each aspect. A total of 818 animals were present at the fair, with 688 being reptiles (84.11%) and 130 being amphibians (15.89%). This study revealed that the provision of substrate scored higher for reptiles compared to amphibians, while the size of containers for amphibians received higher ratings than those for reptiles. Visual abnormalities in posture and behavior were more common in reptiles than in amphibians. Display containers for snakes received the lowest ratings and showed more visual abnormalities in posture and behavior, raising concerns about their welfare. Despite the presence of environmental enrichment, the overall level of animal welfare was assessed as being medium/low. Pearson's correlation coefficient indicated good reliability among the evaluators during the assessment process, with most assessments showing values > 0.8. Despite existing regulations for exhibitors, neglect remains prevalent. These findings highlight the potential negative impact of animal exposure at fairs on animal welfare. Display containers were often inadequately sized for the animals, particularly for snakes, chameleons, monitor lizards, and salamanders.
鉴于涉及外来动物的事件日益增多，优先考虑相关动物的福祉至关重要。本研究旨在评估波兰某选定博览会上动物展示的质量，并评估展览箱中明显的动物福利水平，为关于这一重要问题的持续讨论提供参考。评估人员使用五点李克特量表和是/否系统来分析博览会期间的生活条件，包括容器大小、垫料的存在情况和环境丰富度。他们还评估了视觉上异常姿势和行为的发生情况，以衡量整体福利水平。为确保数据的可靠性和一致性，并尽量减少潜在偏差，每位评估人员重复评分过程三次，每次之间间隔三周。然后计算每个方面的平均值。博览会上共有818只动物，其中688只为爬行动物（84.11%），130只为两栖动物（15.89%）。本研究表明，与两栖动物相比，爬行动物垫料的提供得分更高，而两栖动物的容器大小评分高于爬行动物。爬行动物中姿势和行为的视觉异常比两栖动物更常见。蛇的展示容器评分最低，姿势和行为的视觉异常更多，这引发了对其福利的担忧。尽管有环境丰富措施，但动物福利的整体水平被评估为中/低。皮尔逊相关系数表明评估过程中评估人员之间具有良好的可靠性，大多数评估显示值>0.8。尽管对参展商有现行规定，但忽视现象仍然普遍。这些发现凸显了博览会上动物展示对动物福利的潜在负面影响。展示容器的尺寸往往对动物来说过小，特别是对蛇、变色龙、巨蜥和蝾螈而言。
