Page 75 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

3.5 Summary – How Learning Supports Zoo Animals 47

VetBooks.ir hircus using a computer controlled learning considered an indication of stress or anxiety;
whereby those animals which are less stressed
device; buttons, corresponding to stimuli on
screen, had to be pressed by the goats to gain
rats were observed to be significantly less thig-
drinking water. The experiment consisted of will show low levels of thigmotaxis. Enriched
four phases, the shaping phase where goats motactic than their non‐enriched counter-
were taught how to use the apparatus and parts. The authors concluded that the enriched
three testing phases. The testing phases all rats performed well in the cognitive tests, not
involved simultaneous presentation of four due to elevated cognitive skills, but instead
visual stimuli on the screen and the goats had because they showed less thigmotaxis and thus
to pick the correct stimuli to get rewarded. In were able to engage in the cognitive tests more
testing phase 1 all three negative stimuli were readily (Harris et al. 2009).
identical, but in test phase 2 and 3 they were
not. Throughout the experimental phases
the researchers recorded HR of all individu- 3.5 Summary – How Learning
als, their hypothesis being that unpredictable Supports Zoo Animals
or uncontrollable situations will activate the
hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, lead- Many of the examples provided throughout
ing to depression of behaviour combined this chapter have referred to laboratory ani-
with reduced or stable HR (HR, while the mal studies, which might make you wonder
ability to cope with a stressor is thought to be how does this apply to zoo animal learning?
under the control of the sympathetic nervous Maybe you’re wondering whether benefits
system and is generally accompanied by a which arise from being given learning oppor-
raise in HR). In the first training tasks, when tunities, result because baseline levels of
goats were naive to the apparatus and proce- housing and husbandry are impoverished and
dure, they showed low HR suggesting a level therefore represent a different situation to
of frustration and/or stress in response to the those which zoo animals are maintained in.
new stimuli. In the second and third training Notwithstanding that laboratory animal
stages, when the training procedure and housing and husbandry is highly variable, so
apparatus was well established, the opposite too is that provided within the zoo profession.
relationship was true. These data indicated Furthermore, numerous case studies have
that whilst the goats found the learning task been identified based in zoos which clearly
challenging, it was a task they could cope demonstrate the benefits of learning; parallel-
with. The authors suggest that the learning ing the findings published on laboratory ani-
task presented the goats with a ‘positive mals. It is true, that studies of physiological
stress’ once the animals understood the task function and certainly brain development are
and learned to recognise the positive stimu- limited within the zoo profession, and thus
lus (Langbein et al. 2004). our understanding of how the zoo environ-
Another interesting topic of research is ment, including the provision of learning
whether reduction in stress can effect the opportunities affects these metrics in the
impact of learning opportunities and so lead to varied species housed in zoos is limited. It
better performances during cognitive testing would be foolish however, to consider that the
such as maze trials. For example rats provided animal models used in laboratory animal
with enrichment, in the form of novel nesting studies are sufficiently different from the ani-
material, tunnels, hanging tubes, and novel mals we care for in zoos, to negate the poten-
objects, were observed to outperform their tial benefits that learning opportunities can
non‐enriched counterparts in a Morris water have on mortality, morbidity, reproduction,
maze; non‐enriched rats took significantly psychological well‐being, and physical wel-
longer to find the hidden platform (Harris fare. Certainly is seems likely that just as
et al. 2009). Thigmotaxis, tendency to ‘hug’ the learning opportunities are observed to have
side of the apparatus, was also measured and behavioural benefits in zoo animals, i.e. with