Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this work was that with the help of a literature review have a single document with information on how the various species: brown bear (Ursus arctos), lynx (Lynx lynx) and the wolf (Canis lupus) living in the wild. The aim was also to show which stereotypic behaviours these different species have in zoos and the enrichments that is already being used and to make suggestions and recommendations on enrichment based on animal behaviour ecology. In zoos, some species thrive well while others have propositions to propagating problems, poor health and stereotypic behaviors. The brown bear, lynx and wolf, live both in the wild and in zoos in Sweden. As these animals have different ways of living in the wild, it is important to accommodate to each species, the way they are kept in zoos in accordance with their behavioural ecology.

Brown bears are omnivorous and solitary living species with large energy needs so that they spend most of their day to actively feeding but also rest. Brown bears prefer a habitat that is a mixture of open and covered land. Brown bears have a promiscuous mating system and the mating period is between May and early July. Bears show a lot of different stereotypic behaviours in zoos.

Lynx is a solitary living predator. These cats are in need of large contiguous forest habitats and want to have different habitat for hunting, eating the prey and rest. The premier food is roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Lynx hunt by persecute and stalking the prey to start the attack from a short distance. Lynx has dispersed promiscuous system where mating period is between January and April. Lynx show some different stereotypic behaviours in zoos but the most common is pacing.

Wolves are social animals that live mostly in packs with a monogamous alpha pair. They have a linear dominance hierarchy. Wolves prefer a mixed habitat. The principal food is moose (Alces alces) that wolves typically only can catch where they hunt in packs. The mating period of wolves is between January and the beginning of April. Stereotypic behaviour in wolves in zoos is pacing.

There are many different ways to enrich the animals in zoos and the most important thing is to give the animals the possibility to control the situation in captivity by being able to choose where they want to be in relation to the visitors in the zoo. It is important to observe the animal that has received the enrichment to see that the animal react well to it, because individuals may react differently to enrichments.