Natural and atypical behaviours

Question 1

why should keepers study animal behaviour

Answer 1

emotional wellbeing
prevent / avoid injuries
comfortable living
understanding needs and wants of animals
respond appropriately to animal behaviours
understand social dynamics
to recognise abnormal behaviour

Question 1

Behaviour - definition

Answer 1

actions or reactions of a person or animal in response to internal or external stimuli

Question 2

what is important when studying animal behaviour?

Answer 2

identifying what is happening and why

Question 3

anthropomorphism

Answer 3

the tendency for people to think of animals as behaving in human terms, or to attribute human characteristics to animals

Question 4

natural behaviour

Answer 4

a behaviour an animal would typically exhibit in the wild, usually because that behaviour promotes biological functioning and survival

Question 5

atypical behaviour

Answer 5

any behaviour that is outside the natural range of behaviours for that species

Question 6

stereotypical behaviour (stereotypy)

Answer 6

repetitive behaviours that have no biological function and that would not be exhibited in the wild

Question 7

examples of natural behaviours

Answer 7

eating and drinking
foraging / hunting
sleeping
social behaviours
breeding and parenting
communication
dominance and submission

Question 8

examples of atypical behaviours

Answer 8

hyperactivity
excessive inactivity
over-agression
overgrooming
overeating or loss of appetite
stereotypic behaviours

Question 9

reasons for atypical behaviours

Answer 9

wrong size or type of enclosure
lack of enrichment or exercise
incorrect diet
stress
wrong social mix
badly treated / abused

Question 10

enrichment

Answer 10

opportunities for animals to exhibit natural behaviour through physical, nutritional, social, sensory and cognitive enrichment