Page 22 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

xxii FNttwNtd

As my career developed I found my way to
There is a clear value in reading this book
VetBooks.ir chapter by chapter as each builds on the the European Association of Zoos and
other and opens up a new and relevant aspect
newly developed position of EAZA Academy
of animal learning and training. However, I Aquaria (EAZA) and was employed in the
can also see that each chapter can be taken Training Officer; sadly, my role did not
on its own merit, either to introduce the involve training wild animals but the much
reader to a new topic, act as a refresher for a more challenging species of ‘zoo and aquar-
topic already known, or as a handy reference ium staff’! All jokes aside, what became very
guide when you want to check back on x or y apparent was the strong desire from the
or search for solutions. There is such a lot to community for the development of a course
know about learning and training that it is on animal training. To this day, this course is
difficult to keep it all in ones’ head. Having it consistently one of our most popular and has
here in handy reference format allows the expanded to additional courses looking at
trainer to get on with the important task of different applied aspects. Humans are an
noticing small changes in the behaviour of essential ingredient in the training of the ani-
their animals and adapting aspects of train- mals in our care and so I was especially inter-
ing to this. ested in Chapters 7, 8, 9, and 13 which all
I will leave the reader to discover each touch on different aspect of the human(s)
chapter for themselves however, I couldn’t involved in learning and training interac-
resist the opportunity to share a few aspects tions. Whether this be the influence, on both
that particularly caught my attention. Having sides, of motivation, trust, and control
used Pavlov as an example in various ‘intro- (Chapter 7); how to engage staff in training
duction to animal behaviour’ modules for programmes so that they see it as an oppor-
more years than I can count, it was lovely to tunity rather than a burden (Chapter 8);
be reminded of Twitmyer’s related work human animal interactions (Chapter 9); or
classically conditioning students to exhibit a ways to make sure staff and animals stay safe
knee jerk reaction at the sound of a bell. (Chapter 13). Chapter 10 on the different
Chapters 2 and 3 reminded me of all the fas- ways animals are used in ‘shows’ left me with
cinating and complex ways animals learn and a clear understanding of the varied situations
gain information over and above classical and nuances that are often grouped together
and operant conditioning. They also served under this one title. It also left me with a
to provide a clear reminder of the benefits strong desire to go back and cross check our
that can be gained by studying animals in EAZA Guidelines for the use of animals in
zoos and aquariums compared to the wild public demonstrations with the information
ones, whilst also giving reasons why we given here.
shouldn’t always directly compare one to the The authors of Chapter 11 couldn’t have
other. At a more individual level, there was said it better when they wrote ‘considering
also some thought‐provoking research the impact of training on animal welfare is an
shared on how early environments and indi- epic challenge’ however, they prove they are
vidual experiences shape adult behaviours. more than up to this challenge. Their chapter
Chapter 4 is excellent at making the reader provides some excellent queries about the
think about ethical considerations related to terms we use, as well as serving as an impor-
training and just because we can train some- tant reminder that we should always come
thing doesn’t necessarily mean we should. back to considering welfare from the indi-
Chapter 5 has some fascinating examples vidual animals’ perspective and not how we
about all the different learning opportunities might perceive the situation. Challenges
that are available to animals in human care between welfare and training are further
from the embryonic stage through all subse- considered in Chapter 12. We are asked to
quent phases and life experiences. consider the ethics of situations where we