IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Hashimoto, C.Y. | |
| Comportamento em cativeiro e teste da efic cia de t‚cnicas de enriquecimento ambiental (f¡sico e alimentar) para jaguatiricas | |
| 2008 Full Book | |
Brazil exhibits a large variety of wild cat species, most of which under the threat of extinction. Reproduction in captivity is an essential tool for the conservation of these species, and it is directly linked to animal welfare. This project aimed the study of the behavior of the ocelot (a small-sized American wild cat; _Leopardus pardalis_ under captivity, looking for potential abnormal behavior indicative of sub-optimal environmental conditions, and the testing of two environmental enrichment procedures (physical and alimentary) in search of a better understanding of this species' needs in captivity and of better management techniques. For that, we analyzed behavioral (scan sampling) and endocrinal data (fecal corticosterone metabolites) from 12 adult captive individuals in the facilities of the Associa‡Æo Mata Ciliar (Jundia¡, SP, Brazil). The analysis of data for the whole sample did not support the hypothesis predicting an influence of the environment enrichment procedures on the animals' welfare, but pointed to seasonal influences on behavior, and to a possible harmful effect of the removal/interruption of the treatment on the welfare. The individual data analysis also pointed, in some cases, to a harmful effect of treatment removal, as well as to some positive results of the application of the environmental enrichment procedures, such as the reduction on the frequencies of abnormal behavior, a rise in non-agonist social behavior, and a reduction in the concentration levels of corticosteroid metabolites. We also found a positive correlation between concentration levels of corticosterone metabolites and abnormal behavior. Finally, given the practical relevance of this line of research and the lack of studies on small cats under captivity, we formulate some methodological suggestions for future research. |
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