1. Supervisor: Prof. Mats Amundin
Effects of enclosure design and enrichment on the behaviour of European bison (Bison bonasus)
Final thesis. International Master Programme Applied Ethology and Animal Biology 2009
Erika Godoy
Supervisor: Prof. Mats Amundin
Does the enclosure design affect daily activity and response to feeding enrichment?
Methods
3 naturalistic and 3 barren enclosures
Selected behaviours recorded for 72 h
Enrichment: addition of spread-out browse
Conclusions
Enclosure design affect daily activity
Higher activity in naturalistic enclosures
Different feeding behaviours, however total amount feeding did not differ
Enclosure design affect response to feeding enrichment
Large effect in barren enclosures
Suitable enrichment in barren enclosures due to reduced inactivity
enclosure
Barren
Naturalistic
enclosure
Results - daily activity
Results - feeding enrichment ** ** ** ** **
Mean (+SE) amount of time (%) spent in behaviour categories
before and after the addition of spread-out browse, *p<o.o5
Mean (+SE) amount of time (%) performing selected behaviours in each enclosure type **p<o.o1
- Decreased activity in naturalistic enclosures
- Feeding increased and feeding supplemental and inactivity decreased in barren enclosures
- Naturalistic enclosures stimulate movements
Significant differences in feeding behaviour
Want to know more?
Thanks to: