Page 114 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

86 5 What Is There to Learn in a Zoo Setting?

VetBooks.ir interesting zoo‐based study on plains zebra may serve as a form of ‘practice’ for adult
survival (Smith 1982). For example, play
(Equus burchelli) indicated that the sex of a
foetus determined the time of weaning of the
later in their lives (Pellis and Pellis 2017).
previous offspring; weaning current off- helps to prepare animals for serious fighting
spring was faster when the dam was carrying Spinka et al. (2001) propose that play is a
a male foetus than a female foetus (Pluháček form of ‘training for the unexpected’, learn-
et al. 2007). The study of Pluháček et al. ing how to escape threats in a relatively
(2007) requires replication in other zebra relaxed context before those skills are
populations and would also be interesting to needed in a real‐world, dangerous situation.
replicate in other equids, so the implications The fact that some animals also play
for zoo‐housed zebra are conservative for throughout adult life indicates that contin-
now. If the sex of the foetus is known, car- ued practice of survival skills is important
egivers may consider adjusting the time (Smith 1982; see Figure 5.2).
period allotted for weaning care accordingly, Zoos can promote play in their animals
and the time‐sensitive learning in the wean- through the provision of enrichment
ing period of the current offspring (if the foe- (Chapter 6), but it will also arise sporadically
tus is male) will be more pressured because it in a social group. Zoo‐housed gorillas (Gorilla
will be shorter. gorilla gorilla) have shown that actions per-
formed during play‐fighting are functional;
one gorilla hitting another during a play‐fight
5.3.2 Learning Through Play
was seen as an ‘unfair’ action, to which the
Play behaviour has widely been cited as hav- ‘hitee’ was sensitive (Van Leeuwen et al.
ing no clear function (Burghardt 2005), but 2011). Furthermore, juvenile zoo gorillas have
conversely, young animals can learn much been observed to make careful, context‐
about their environment through play. Given dependent decisions about who to engage in
that play behaviour in young animals often social play, as well as how ‘rough’ to make
resembles foraging or social sequences, play their actions (Palagi et al. 2007).

Figure 5.2 In a zoo setting play can also occur between different species, as illustrated here between a
juvenile gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla and adult black mangabey Lophocebus aterrimus. Source: Tjerk van Meulen.