Should Zoo Food Be Chopped for Ruffed Lemurs? It's Not so Black and White.

Whole food diets in zoos have the potential to reduce microbial contamination and keeper preparation time, whilst also reducing food nutrient breakdown. Given these benefits, it is important to determine whether there is any value in chopping up food. Lemurs (Family Lemuridae) are common in zoos, with over 7500 individuals housed globally.

Liver and Let Die? A Retrospective Analysis of Secretarybird Mortality in European Zoos.

The secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is a threatened African raptor species, and as such requires conservation attention. While the species is managed under a European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) Ex-situ Programme (EEP), no studies of mortality are currently available. A retrospective mortality project was therefore conducted to identify the most common causes of death in captive secretarybirds, with a view to informing management decisions.

Exploration of Social Proximity and Behavior in Captive Malayan Tigers and Their Cubs.

The survival of endangered felids is becoming increasingly dependent on the successful management and breeding of reserve populations in captivity. While most felid species are reported to be solitary in the wild, increasing evidence suggests that some big cats have greater social plasticity than is currently acknowledged. This social plasticity allows felids to be sometimes socially housed in environments such as zoos and rescue centers.

Investigating Unused Tools for the Animal Behavioral Diversity Toolkit.

Behavioral diversity is a commonly used tool used to quantify the richness and evenness of animal behaviors and assess the effect of variables that may impact an animal's quality of life. The indices used in behavioral diversity research, and the study subjects, have not been formally reviewed. This paper aims to identify which indices are being used in behavioral diversity research, and under which scenarios, and uncover novel indices from other disciplines that could be applied to behavioral diversity.

Investigating the Behavior and Personality Structure of the Aldabra Tortoise during Human Interactions and Training Events.

Human-animal interaction (HAI) can be valuable for captive animals, and many zoo-housed species benefit from interactions with their keepers. There is also an increasing body of evidence that some animal species possess personalities that are temporally consistent. However, the majority of zoo research, particularly on personality and HAI, traditionally has focused on mammals, and there are comparatively fewer studies on reptiles.

A simulated comparison of behavioural observation sampling methods.

Behavioural research requires the use of sampling methods to document the occurrence of responses observed. Sampling/recording methods include ad libitum, continuous, pinpoint (instantaneous), and one-zero (interval) sampling. Researchers have questioned the utility of each sampling method under different contexts.