Animals in Society: (Welfare Assessment & Stereotypical/ Abnormal Behaviours) Flashcards
Learning Outcomes
What is animal welfare?
- Good welfare
- Poor welfare
- Abnormal behaviour
- Assessing welfare
Define: What is poor welfare?
the prevention of display of normal behaviour
How can poor welfare be identified?
-
Research and knowledge needs to be available on species normal behaviour
* data has to come from conditions where the animal can allocate its time and energy exactly how it chooses.
List examples of what poor welfare may result from:
(5 answers)
- Frustration
- Absence of important stimuli
- Insufficient stimulation
- Overstimulation
- Too much unpredictability
Define: What is good welfare?
Associated with a wide range of normal behaviours being displayed
Assessing Welfare
A good assessment of welfare should measure both (1)__________ and (2)_________
- behaviour
- physiology
Assessing Welfare: Behavioural & Physiological (image)
Behavioural
- Startle reflex/ response
- Abscense of behaviour
- Occurance of abnormal behaviour
Physiological
- Heart rate
- Respiratory rate
- Body Temperature
- Hormones (e.g. glucocorticoids)
- Neurotransmitters (e.g. adrenalin)
*image
Welfare Assessment: General Principles
Animal welfare can be assessed by the use of indicators,
(i.e. of variables that can be measured objectively
Evidence of poor welfare is usually taken from the presence of other indicators,
therefore the absence of a particular behaviour may be simply a consequence of something else
e.g. lack of hormonal state or the animal may not want/need to display the (normal) behaviour.
True or False?
True
Welfare indicators are divided into two groups:
List them
- animal-based.
- environment-based
Group the animal-based indicators into four main categories.
- Indicators related to the behaviour of animals.
- Indicators related to the appearance of animals.
- Physiological indicators.
- Indicators obtained from the records of zoological institutions, such as the life expectancy of animals and the prevalence and incidence of diseases.
Define environment-based indicators
variables that are not measured in the animals but in their environment.
List 3 examples of environment-based indicators
- size and design of facilities where animals are kept.
- the quantity and quality of food they receive.
- the temperature at which they are exposed.
The occurrence of abnormal behaviour is often used to _____ welfare.
assess
Why perform abnormal behaviour? (1-3)
- Inability to perform a behaviour
- Under or over stimulation
- Abnormal behaviour as a coping mechanism
Name 2 types of abnormal behaviour
- Displacement behaviour
- Rebound behaviour
1.) Inability to perform a behaviour
Displacement behaviour
- If (a)_______ by intense (b)_______ and then restricted.
- Appears to (a)_______ intensity of (b)________ feelings in animals.
- (a)________ displacement behaviours.
- (a)___________ aggression may occur in (b)__________ situations – directed to others or (c)__________.
- (a) aroused, (b) stimulus
- (a) reduce, (b) unpleasant
- (a) Human
- (a) Increased, (b) frustrating, (c) themselves
1.) Inability to perform a behaviour
Why does displacement activity occur in animals?
Displacement activities occur when an animal experiences:
- (1)____ (2)________ for (3)___ or more (4)_________ behaviours, the resulting displacement activity is usually (5)________ to the competing (6)__________.
- Displacement activities may also occur when animals are (1)________ from performing a (2)______ behaviour they are (3)_______ motivated for.
- (1) high, (2) motivation, (3) two/2, (4) conflicting, (5) unrelated, (6) motivations
- (1) prevented, (2) single, (3) highly
1.) Inability to perform a behaviour
Examples of displacement behaviour
- Birds, may peck at grass when uncertain whether to attack or flee from an opponent
- A human may scratch their head when they do not know which of two options to choose.