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3.4 Indirect Benefits of Learning 41

VetBooks.ir hibernation refuge one month earlier than These ‘natural’ physiological variations in
closely related species, which result from the
resident snakes. As a result they failed to gain
weight and had high rates of mortality in the
interesting phylogenetic comparisons, but
overwintering period (Roe et al. 2010). degree of learning each species performs, offer
In summary, many behaviours have been experimental studies can provide a further
shown to get ‘lost’ in captive populations and dimension to understanding the indirect ben-
as such this can have substantial impacts on efits of learning. We conducted a brief review,
the likelihood that reintroduction attempts again using recent literature (published
are successful. There are however, many 2005–2018) to assess the indirect benefits
techniques which employ learning theory of providing captive animals with learning
such as operant conditioning (see Chapter 12) opportunities. The review was conducted on
and species appropriate environmental the results generated from a ‘Web of Science’
enrichment (see Chapter 6), which are both database search, where search terms were
discussed in more detail elsewhere in this environmental enrichment*benefits and oper-
text, which can bridge the learning gap ant conditioning*benefits. The most common
between captive and wild environments (see method of providing learning opportunities in
Chapter 5). captive settings was via environmental
enrichment (see Figure 3.3); our review
extended beyond zoo settings, to include
3.4 Indirect Benefits of Learning other forms of captivity including laboratories.
As such, some of the learning opportunities
The review and case studies above demon- could be viewed as traditional forms of learn-
strate the immediate survival benefits of ing provision, such as maze tasks or operant
learned behaviours. To some extent they conditioning.
seem quite obvious to even the untrained The majority of experimental studies
observer; fail to develop survival behaviours reviewed focused on laboratory animals and
and you will not survive. In addition to these consequentially included common laboratory
obvious benefits, the process of learning species such as rodents; which were the
itself may in fact offer benefits. ‘Indirect ben- most documented species in our review
efits’ of learning maybe conferred through (Figure 3.4). It is unsurprising that research
changed physiological or psychological focusing on physiological measures and/or
parameters, for example positive feedback recovery after brain injury are conducted in
loops that affect the animal’s emotional state; laboratories. It should be noted however, that
sometimes referred to as secondary benefits. there were also a number of studies in this
We do not propose that these indirect bene- review which were carried out on zoo housed
fits of learning are any less important, than animals as well as other domestic populations
performing the learned behaviours them- (Figure 3.4); note primates for example were
selves, rather that the benefits might be less housed in laboratories and zoos. These latter
obvious in terms of their immediate survival studies were less invasive in nature and
benefit to the animal. focused on the benefits of learning, such as
Some authors have demonstrated the performance in cognitive testing after ani-
importance of learning in shaping naturally mals were given learning opportunities. We
occurring phenomenon, such as brain size, included all studies in our review which
through comparative studies (e.g. Krebs et al. investigated environmental enrichment (i.e.
1996). Food storing birds have been shown in not just environmental enrichment with a
both experimental and field studies to have cognitive goal), as all enrichment, upon first
better spatial memory than species which do presentation at least, can provide a cognitive
not regularly store food. This is also associ- challenge. Cognitive challenges or positive
ated with a larger hippocampal region of the reinforcement training were also popular
brain in food‐storing birds (Krebs et al. 1996). methods of providing learning opportunities.