Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0008-1870-8337

Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Biology

Reader 1

Dr. Sarah Budischak

Reader 2

Emily Perala

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2024 Erin M Davidson

Abstract

The three main goals of zoos are outlined as: education, conservation, and research. In our modern world, the focus of zoos has shifted away from simply housing animals, and towards how we can best promote proper animal welfare for individuals in human care. Animal welfare can be defined as the “mental health” of non-human species of fauna, and is greatly influenced by the stressors within the environment, as well as the option of choosing how to interact with and respond to the environment. Animals housed in zoos are presented with unique stressors that they often do not choose to experience, such as loud noises, upsetting visual stimuli, or intense smells. Zoo animals will respond to these stressors by exhibiting behaviors that are not naturally occurring in their species, called “undesirable behaviors”. By identifying possible stressors and providing solutions to decrease the frequency of undesirable behaviors, the animal’s welfare will improve. In the example of Twix, the Cape Porcupine at the Lake Superior Zoo, he had been observed repetitively gnawing on a metal mesh barrier that separated him from zoo staff. The observational study conducted on Twix revealed that there are several factors that influence his behavior, including time of day, number of people present and intense sensory stimuli. By coming up with ideas to help Twix engage in natural species behaviors instead of undesirable behaviors, we can greatly improve his welfare at the zoo.

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