Feeding enrichment in an opportunistic carnivore: The red fox |
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| Authors: | Claudia Kistler Daniel Hegglin Hanno Würbel Barbara König |
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| Institution: | 1. Zoologisches Institut, Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland;2. SWILD, Urban Ecology & Wildlife Research, Wuhrstrasse 12, CH-8003 Zürich, Switzerland;3. Division of Animal Welfare and Ethology, Clinical Veterinary Sciences, University of Giessen, D-35392 Giessen, Germany;1. Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås, Norway;2. Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland;1. Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60647, United States;2. Animal Welfare Science Program, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, 60647, United States;1. School of Behavior Analysis, Florida Institute of Technology, 150 W University Blvd, Melbourne, FL, 32901, USA;2. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, 1101 East 10th St., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA;1. Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Road, Brookfield, IL60513, USA;2. Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland, OR 97221, USA;1. World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland;2. Psychology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, Scotland, United Kingdom;1. Bioscience Education and Zoo Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany;2. Department of Educational Quality and Evaluation, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Rostocker Str. 6, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
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| Abstract: | In captive carnivores, species-specific behaviour is often restricted by inadequate feeding regimens. Feeding live prey is not feasible in most places and food delivery is often highly predictable in space and time which is considerably different from the situation in the wild. As a result, captive carnivores are often inactive, show little behavioural diversity and are prone to behavioural problems such as stereotypic pacing. Using artificial feeding devices to substitute for natural food resources is a way to address these problems. In a group of four red fox (Vulpes vulpes), we compared a conventional feeding method to four different methods through the use of feeding enrichment that were based on natural foraging strategies of opportunistic carnivores. Feeding enrichments consisted of electronic feeders delivering food unpredictable in time which were successively combined with one of the three additional treatments: a self-service food box (allowing control over access to food), manually scattering food (unpredictable in space), and an electronic dispenser delivering food unpredictably both in space and time. The aim of administering feeding enrichment in this study was to stimulate appetitive (food searching) behaviour and to increase time spent in feeding. Compared to conventional feeding, diversity of behaviour and overall activity were significantly enhanced in the presence of electronic feeders in all four foxes (EF > CON1 = CON2, EF + SF > CON1 = CON2, EF + MS > CON1 = CON2, EF + ED > CON1 = CON2). Behavioural diversity was highest when the foxes had control over access to food (EF + SF), while the manual scattering of food (EF + MS) and the electronic dispenser (EF + ED) enhanced food searching behaviour. These results indicate that in opportunistic carnivores natural foraging and feeding behaviour can be stimulated by simple feeding enrichment strategies, and that foraging behaviour is stimulated most when food delivery is unpredictable both in space and time. |
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