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Groundbreaking Study Continued
In 2018 and 2019, the staff at each facility collected
blood and fecal samples from their study animals
during two five-week periods. The periods occurred
at different times of the year to reduce the chances
results would be influenced by variables such as the
weather or crowd size during a particular season.
“What’s unique about this study is that it involves
multiple facilities and uses the same methods and
the same lab, so the results are a lot more accurate
and reliable,” said Miller. Blood samples were sent
to either Cornell University Animal Health
Bottlenose dolphin Spree plays with an enrichment item—an artificial octopus. Diagnostic Center laboratory or the Universidad
Nacional Autónoma de México laboratory and
Variables potentially analyzed for up to 56 biomarker indicators. Fecal
associated with welfare samples were sent to Brookfield Zoo’s endocrinology
Habitat characteristics: Maximum length and depth laboratory and analyzed by a staff endocrinologist for
of the habitat, water volume, habitat type, number of the presence and concentration of adrenal hormones.
habitats, type of social management, and the presence A total of 359 blood samples and 1,744 fecal
of neighboring animals. Nearly 58 percent of the study’s samples were collected and analyzed. Researchers
dolphins lived in professionally managed zoo/aquarium used the data to establish reference intervals and
habitats; 42 percent lived in professionally managed healthy values for 56 indicators in the blood samples
ocean habitats, such as cordoned-off sections of bays, and three metabolites in the fecal samples. Miller
lagoons, or coastal areas. Social management refers also added a novel indicator of animal welfare—
to whether dolphins lived in one group with consistent the ratio of cortisol to DHEA—which is being
membership, were split into subgroups during the day studied as an indicator of positive animal welfare.
and reunited at night, or were rotated between subgroups. The reference intervals and healthy values were
Environmental enrichment: The addition of objects, loaded into a database, which can be accessed by
activities, or stimuli into an animal’s environment to elicit an innovative new tool, ZooPhysioTrak. The app
species-appropriate behaviors and provide opportunities can be downloaded for free onto an iPhone or
to exercise choice and control. Objects can include balls, iPad. CZS volunteer and computer scientist, Kevin
fake floating seaweed, ice blocks, dive bricks, dead and Mitchell, wrote the software for the app. An animal
live fish, mirrors, and even underwater music. Enrich- care manager or a veterinarian can review an individ-
ment also includes objects that present complex cognitive ual animal’s blood and fecal samples. “Using the app,
challenges, such as a puzzle feeder that dispenses fish if a they can pull up the healthy reference ranges on their
dolphin—either working alone or with another dolphin— phone and compare their animal’s results to the
can figure out how to open it. healthy reference intervals,” said Miller.
Training/engagement programs: Marine mammal For example, Brookfield Zoo veterinarians and
specialists provide additional opportunities during care marine mammal managers can compare the blood
sessions to stimulate and engage animals mentally and values and hormone metabolite levels of one of
physically. Animals are asked to perform high-energy Brookfield Zoo’s dolphins to those of other healthy
behaviors and challenged to figure out how to complete dolphins at zoos and aquariums around the world.
tasks. Dolphins in accredited zoos and aquariums are “Part of our welfare monitoring program is to analyze
routinely trained to participate in their own health care. fecal samples for metabolite concentrations and now
For example, Cetacean Welfare Study animals were we have healthy reference ranges that come right
trained to voluntarily present a body part and remain still from the study,” said Stacey.
while a blood sample was drawn. Many are also trained
to participate in educational presentations to the public.
36 GATEWAYS | CETACEAN WELFARE STUDY
