Page 25 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

xxv

VetBooks.ir

Preface

Zoo Animal Learning and Training (ZALAT) as communication is key to successful train-
has been inspired to fill a need: a need to ing. Thereafter follow a series of boxes which
bridge the gap between those studying animal focus on taxa specific information, providing
learning theory and those using these princi- information about what is known about a
ples to implement training programmes in taxa’s cognitive abilities and what considera-
zoos. In creating ZALAT we hoped, and tions might need to be thought about when
believe we have succeeded, in bringing training those animals in zoos; thus we organ-
together expert academics and zoo profes- ised the boxes into two groups, those includ-
sionals, so that you the reader can benefit ing an academic and professional perspective.
from their shared wisdom. This unified For elephants there is an exception to this
approach brings together the art and science pattern, as we have three boxes relating to
of animal training. Consequently, we’re proud them, as with the other taxa we detail the cur-
to present a book written by experts in their rent knowledge of their cognitive abilities, but
fields, with academic and professional knowl- we have included two boxes related to their
edge and experience operating worldwide. captive management, one relates to zoos and
ZALAT provides a clear, easy to read and one relates to their training and management
concise introduction to basic animal learning in elephant camps. We then have the final set
theory, alongside tangible application of this of boxes, which relate to ‘other’ aspects of
theory when training animals in zoos and training, which were not explicit within the
aquaria. We hoped to clarify the jargon, the dif- chapters. In this section, we consider training
ferent terms used between academic disci- more than one animal at a time; often a neces-
plines, and different professional settings to sary practical consequence of socially housed
bridge the barriers to implementing and under- animals and/or few staff allotted to training.
standing the consequences of training in zoos. Finally a box is included which provides a
We invited academic and professional general view of zoo animal training, where
experts working in zoo animal learning and the art started, and what it has been able to
training to provide content, from the princi- achieve; a bite size introduction, overview,
ples of animal learning theory (Chapters 1– and view to the future.
4), to the application of this theory (Chapters We have referred to zoos throughout, even
5–9), all the way through to practical consid- in the title, not to exclude aquaria but as
erations of implementing zoo animal training shorthand for a profession which operates to
programmes (Chapters 10–13). Given the care for and conserve species in captivity
magnitude of the subject and implications for whether that be a zoo, aquaria, or sanctuary.
translating theory into practice, we soon real- To improve accessibility of the theoretical
ised that it would also be great to include text background to animal learning theory, a
boxes. The first set of text boxes consider the rouge guide for translation has been
modalities animals employ to communicate, included in the form of a handy glossary.