Page 270 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

242 Box B12 Species‐specioic onsiderations eith Aquatics

VetBooks.ir training more generally, the public can see sand tiger sharks (Carcharhias taurus) swam
by, as the tarpon would get a little too focused
what is going on, and so it can help to have
staff explaining the situation or put up some
People are probably even less inclined to
simple signs with explanatory information. It on the target sometimes!
may be best in some circumstances to have think of training invertebrates than they are
the crate in the exhibit for the training ses- fish, however, octopus are extremely intel-
sion and then remove it again, thus removing ligent and it can really improve their wel-
any chance of entanglement, but also to keep fare to carry out some training but also
the exhibit clutter free for the public – after general enrichment. Giant Pacific octopus
all they pay our wages! (Enteroctopus dofleini) are particularly
It can be very important to provide train- receptive to play and secondary reinforce-
ing in zoos and aquaria for ethical reasons. It ment. Many aquariums will interact with
is our job to ensure our animals are kept their octopus on a daily basis and the aqua-
healthy and well fed, and training relating to rists will provide various enrichment items
feeding can ensure this is more likely than to the octopus. The octopus will generally
just simply scatter feed in a large mixed interact with people and can show different
exhibit. I have experienced in the past a reactions to different staff members carry-
group of a nervous species, tarpon (Megalops ing out tactile enrichment (personal obser-
atlanticus) that were not feeding well follow- vation and discussions with colleagues).
ing a move into a 2.5 million litre, 10.5 m They will also work for their food and when
deep tank. A simple training programme was offered food contained within one of many
introduced which involved a target placed containers, the octopus generally does not
into the water and the species was only fed in take long to figure it out!
the vicinity of this target. This made a huge One of my most important tips is to have
difference and the individuals gained the fun! If you make the sessions enjoyable both
confidence needed to feed well. It was also for yourself and the fish involved, the out-
possible to remove the target when one of the comes are much more likely to be positive.

References

Gee, P., Stephenson, D., and Wright, D.E. conditioning of elasmobranchs in aquaria.
(1994). Temporal discrimination learning of In: The Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual
operant feeding in goldfish (Carassius II: Recent Advances in the Care of Sharks,
auratus). Journal of Experimental Animal Rays and their Relatives (eds. M. Smith,
Behaviour 62 (1): 1–13. D. Warmolts, D. Thoney, et al.), 209–221.
Janssen, J.D., Kidd, A., Ferreira, A., and Ohio Biological Survey.
Snowden, S. (2017). Training and