EFFECTS OF A COMPLEX ENRICHMENT DEVICE ON TOOL USE, TOOL MANUFACTURING, ACTIVITY BUDGETS, AND STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIORS IN CAPTIVE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS

Date Issued:: 2007
Summary:: Captivity may be responsible for abnormal behaviors that arise in captive populations of animals. As a way to reduce abnormal behaviors produced by two captive male gorillas at The ZOO Northwest Florida, a complex enrichment device, which provided favored food contingent on the gorilla's ability to use tools, was incorporated into their environment. Both of the two male gorillas, Babuka and Mwelu, were observed for a period of 10 weeks, with observations taking place twice each week for approximately 30 minutes each. Activity levels significantly increased after implementation of enrichment for both gorillas. Abnormal behavior significantly decreased after implementation of enrichment for Babuka, but did not reach significance for Mwelu. Successful tool use and tool manufacture was observed for Babuka, but not for Mwelu.

Title:	EFFECTS OF A COMPLEX ENRICHMENT DEVICE ON TOOL USE, TOOL MANUFACTURING, ACTIVITY BUDGETS, AND STEREOTYPIC BEHAVIORS IN CAPTIVE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS.	329 views 306 downloads
Name(s):	Jarvis, Kiersten Austad, Author
Type of Resource:	text
Date Issued:	2007
Publisher:	University of West Florida
Language(s):	English
Summary:	Captivity may be responsible for abnormal behaviors that arise in captive populations of animals. As a way to reduce abnormal behaviors produced by two captive male gorillas at The ZOO Northwest Florida, a complex enrichment device, which provided favored food contingent on the gorilla's ability to use tools, was incorporated into their environment. Both of the two male gorillas, Babuka and Mwelu, were observed for a period of 10 weeks, with observations taking place twice each week for approximately 30 minutes each. Activity levels significantly increased after implementation of enrichment for both gorillas. Abnormal behavior significantly decreased after implementation of enrichment for Babuka, but did not reach significance for Mwelu. Successful tool use and tool manufacture was observed for Babuka, but not for Mwelu.
Identifier:	WFE0000085 (IID), uwf:60719 (fedora)
Note(s):	M.A. Department of Psychology Masters
Subject(s):	Gorilla, enrichment, tool use, cognitive, stereotypic
Persistent Link to This Record:	http://purl.flvc.org/uwf/fd/WFE0000085
Restrictions on Access:	public
Use and Reproduction:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Host Institution:	UWF

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