Hmmm. Sweet or salty?
Do you have a sweet tooth, or do you prefer treats like pretzels? Just as people have individual preferences, so do animals. Here at the Behavioral Biology Division of the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research we are interested in determining individual preferences for some of our animals. Specifically, we are involved in a study examining enrichment preferences for our larger species of felids (lions, tigers, and cheetahs).
Why is this important? Providing environmental enrichment for animals helps keep them both physically and psychologically healthy by promoting species-appropriate behavior and providing the animals some control within their environment. Through assessment of enrichment preferences, we can determine not only what the animals prefer, but also how those enrichment items affect their behavior. Currently, we have eight different objects (for example, gourds and Boomer Balls®) and eight different scents (for example, mint and lavender) that we are assessing to figure out individual and species differences. This will allow us to provide the highest quality of care for the felids at both the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park by providing preferred items to animals and also items that promote species-typical behavior.
A young cheetah with a Boomer ball.
The assessment preferences involve pairing up the different items (for example, Boomer Ball versus a cardboard box) and looking at different measures such as time until they interact with each object and total duration of time each animal interacted with both objects. Over time, with enough trials we will be able to determine preferences for each of the cats in the collection. As of now, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated animal care staff, we have successfully completed all of the enrichment assessment trials with our lions and are working to finish the rest of the trials with the tigers and cheetahs. After we have completed the trials, I will update everyone with some of the preferences we are observing with our wonderful felid collection.
Lance Miller is a scientist for the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research.
Read more about enrichment in the post Enrichment: Fun for Everyone.
Been a while since we heard about out lovely big cats. Thank You Lance !
These trials are time-consuming but the results will likely be very interesting. I can’t wait to read the final results. I’m curious if the big cats have similar preferences or if they vary by individuals or species.
Big cats are my favorite! Sounds like fun research. Thanks for the cute pictures.
Thank you for the update on Big Cay Preferences.
Mint and lavender scents? Are those plants found in the animals’ natural habitat, or why would you use those herbal scents?
Which cats like catnip?
#5 Kathi
Working with species that come from different parts of the world, we just wanted something similar to what these animals might come across in their natural habitat. In trying to elicit species-typical behavior we are trying to find scents that they “prefer” so that we can increase behaviors such as exploration.
#6 Vivien
We are not using catnip in the current study, but it might be interesting to look at in the future.
The cats in cat canyon seem to have very sm enclosures for their size. I’ve often seen pacing in these animals. Any plans for new, more stimulating and realistic enclosures for these guys?
#8 Cathy
Thanks for the question and your concern. We are always looking for new ways to enrich the lives of the animals and try to determine the best way to design enclosures to allow species-appropriate behavior based on the natural history of the animals. For example, we just upgraded the mountain lion (cougar) habitat at the Zoo to allow the animals to sun themselves and survey the surroundings. See post Mountain Lion Home Makeover.
Heey ! Long time since we heard bout the cats ! Any lion pregnancies I should be aware of ? (: