Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-skm99 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T12:40:51.589Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A comparative study of the influence of social housing conditions on the behaviour of captive tigers (Panthera tigris)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

M De Rouck ,
AC Kitchener ,
G Law  and
M Nelissen
M De Rouck
Affiliation:
Behavioural Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
AC Kitchener
Affiliation:
Department of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, Scotland, UK
G Law
Affiliation:
Biological Services, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Bearsden Road, Glasgow G61 1QH, Scotland, UK
M Nelissen*
Affiliation:
Behavioural Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, B-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: mark.nelissen@ua.ac.be
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Nowadays, zoos are increasingly concerned with animal welfare as public expectations and knowledge of the needs of captive animals increases. Although many zoos try to provide all sorts of enrichment for their big cats, the importance of social enrichment is not yet fully understood. This study investigates the effect of different social housing conditions on the behaviour exhibited by captive tigers (Panthera tigris). It was found that paired tigers performed a wider variety of behaviours than single tigers (mostly direct social interactions). Single animals spent significantly more time rolling, auto-playing and performing flehmen. Moreover, paired tigers without neighbouring tigers exhibited significantly less pacing than those with neighbouring tigers. These results suggest that housing tigers in pairs is preferable for the animals as they are able to perform a wider range of natural behaviours, and that the presence of neighbouring tigers causes stress and frustration, and hence more pacing.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourcaptivitysocial conditionstiger
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 14 , Issue 3 , August 2005 , pp. 229 - 238
Copyright
© 2005 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barnes, S 1994 Tiger! Boxtree Ltd: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Barry, KJ and Crowell-Davis, SL 1999 Gender differences in the social behaviour of the neutered indoor-only domestic cat. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 64(3): 193–211CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Berger, J and Stevens, EF 1996 Mammalian social organisation and mating systems. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV, Lumpkin, S and Harris, H (eds) Wild Animals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 344–351. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Berkson, G 1967 Abnormal stereotyped motor acts. In: Zubin, J and Hunt, HF (eds) Comparative Psychopathology — Animal and Human pp 76–94. Grune and Stratton: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
Berkson, G 1968 Development of abnormal stereotyped behaviours. Developmental Psychobiology 1: 118–132CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bernstein, IS and Mason, WA 1962 The effect of age and stimulus conditions on the emotional responses of rhesus monkeys: responses to complex stimuli. Journal of Genetic Psychology 101: 279–298CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bradshaw, JWS and Hall, SL 1999 Affiliative behaviour of related and unrelated pairs of cats in catteries: a preliminary report. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 63(3): 251–255CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bragin, AP 1986 Population characteristics and social-spatial patterns of the tiger on the eastern macro-slope of the Sikhote-Alin mountain range, USSR. MSc Thesis, Pacific Institute of Geography, Vladivostok, USSRGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 1983 Stereotypies as animal welfare indicators. In: Schmidt, D (ed) Indicators Relevant to Farm Animal Welfare pp 81–87. Martinus Nijhoff: The Hague, The NetherlandsCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM and Johnson, KG 1993 Stress and Animal Welfare. Chapman & Hall: London, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryant, CE, Rupnik, NMJ and Iversen, SD 1988 Effects of different enrichment devices on cage stereotypies and autoaggression in captive Cynomologus monkeys. Journal of Medical Primatology 17: 257–269CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, WE 1975 Behaviour Problems in Dogs. American Veterinary Publishing: Santa Barbara, USAGoogle ScholarPubMed
Carlstead, K 1996 Effects of captivity on the behaviour of wild animals. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV, Lumpkin, S and Harris, H (eds) Wild Animals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 317–333. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Carlstead, K and Seidensticker, J 1991 Seasonal variation in stereotypic pacing in an American black bear, Ursus americanus. Behavioural Processes 25: 155–161CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Carlstead, K and Shepherdson, D 2000 Alleviating stress in zoo animals with environmental enrichment. In: Moberg, GP and Mench, JA (eds) The Biology of Animal Stress: Basic Principles and Implications for Animal Welfare pp 337–354. CAB International Publishing: Wallingford, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clubb, R and Mason, G 2001 Does behavioural ecology influence the development of stereotypic behaviour in captivity? In: Ostler J and Worman G (eds) The Marwell Scientific Report 1999/2000, Issue 1 pp 9–11. Pebble Graphics: Romsey, Hampshire, UKGoogle Scholar
Corbett, J 1953 Jungle Lore. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Crockett, CM 1996 Data collection in the zoo setting, emphasising behaviour. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV, Lumpkin, S and Harris, H (eds) Wild Animals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 545–565. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Dantzer, R 1986 Behavioural, physiological and functional aspects of stereotyped behaviour: a review and a re-interpretation. Journal of Animal Science 62: 1776–1786CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Rouck, M, Nelissen, M, Kitchener, A and Law, G (in preparation) A study on the influence of the weather conditions on the behaviour of captive tigers (Panthera tigris)Google Scholar
Draper, WA and Bernstein, IS 1963 Stereotyped behaviours and cage size. Perceptual and Motor Skills 16: 231–234CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eaton, RL 1974 The Cheetah: The Biology, Ecology and Behaviour of an Endangered Species. Robert E Krieger Publishing Company: Malabar, Florida, USAGoogle Scholar
Estes, RD 1972 The role of the vomeronasal organ in mammalian reproduction. Mammalia 36: 315–341CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Feldman, HN 1994 Methods of scent marking in the domestic cat. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72: 1093–1099CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gorman, ML and Trowbridge, BJ 1989 The role of odor in the social lives of carnivores. In: Gittleman, JL (ed) Carnivore Behaviour, Ecology, and Evolution pp 57–88. Chapman & Hall: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Hatcher, L and Stepanski, EJ 1994 A Step-by-Step Approach to Using the SAS System for Univariate and Multivariate Statistics. SAS Publishing: Cary, NC, USAGoogle Scholar
Hediger, H 1950 Wild Animals in Captivity. Butterworths: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Hediger, H 1955 Studies of the Psychology and Behaviour of Captive Animals in Zoos and Circuses. Butterworths: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Hughes, BO and Duncan, IJH 1988 The notion of ethological ‘need’, models of motivation, and animal welfare. Animal Behaviour 33: 315–325Google Scholar
Hughes, BO, Duncan, IJH and Brown, MF 1989 The performance of nest building by domestic hens: is it more important than the construction of a nest? Animal Behaviour 37: 210–214CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jackson, P 1990 Endangered Species: Tigers. The Apple Press: Hong Kong, ChinaGoogle Scholar
Kiley-Worthington, M 1983 Stereotypes in horses. Equine Practice 5: 34–40Google Scholar
Kiley-Worthington, M 1990 Animals in Circuses and Zoos: Chiron's World? Plaistow Press: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Kitchener, AC 2000 Are cats really solitary? Lutra 43(1): 1–10Google Scholar
Koontz, FW and Roush, RS 1996 Communication and social behaviour. In: Kleiman, DG, Allen, ME, Thompson, KV, Lumpkin, S and Harris, H (eds) Wild Animals in Captivity: Principles and Techniques pp 334–343. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Lam, K, Rupnik, NMJ and Iversen, SD 1991 Use of grooming and foraging substrate to reduce cage stereotypies in macaques. Journal of Medical Primatology 20: 104–109CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Law, G 1991 Behavioural enrichment for cats. In: Partridge, J (ed) Management Guidelines for Exotic Cats pp 108–112. The Association of British Wild Animal Keepers: Bristol, UKGoogle Scholar
Leyhausen, P 1979 Cat Behaviour: The Predatory and Social Behaviour of Domestic and Wild Cats. Garland STPM Press: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
Lyons, J, Young, RJ and Deag, JM 1997 The effects of physical characteristics of the environment and feeding regime on the behavior of captive felids. Zoo Biology 16: 71–83Google Scholar
Martin, P and Bateson, P 1993 Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mellen, JD 1991 Factors influencing reproductive success in small captive exotic felids (Felis spp.): a multiple regression analysis. Zoo Biology 10: 95–110CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mellen, JD and Shepherdson, DJ 1997 Environmental enrichment for felids: an integrated approach. International Zoo Yearbook 35: 191–197CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mellen, JD, Hayes, MP and Shepherdson, DJ 1998 Captive environments for small felids. In: Shepherdson, DJ, Mellen, JD, and Hutchins, M (eds) Second Nature: Environmental Enrichment for Captive Animals pp 184–201. Smithsonian Institution Press: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Mittelman, G and Valenstein, ES 1984 Ingestive behaviours evoked by hypothalamic stimulation and schedule-induced polydipsia are related. Science 224: 415–417Google Scholar
Morris, D 1964 The response of animals to a restricted environment. Symposium of the Zoological Society of London 13: 99–118Google Scholar
Nicol, CJ 1987 Behavioural responses of laying hens following a period of spatial restriction. Animal Behaviour 35: 1709–1719CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ödberg, FO 1987 The influence of cage size and environmental enrichment on the development of stereotypies in bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus). Behavioural Processes 14: 155–173CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Palya, WL and Zacny, JP 1980 Stereotyped adjunctive perching by caged pigeons. Animal Learning and Behaviour 8: 293–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pocock, RI 1939 The Fauna of British India, Mammalia, I. Primates and Carnivora. Taylor and Francis: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Priest, G 1993 Reinforcement: the key to shaping behaviour. The Shape of Enrichment 2(3): 12–13Google Scholar
Richardson, D 1992 Big Cats. Whittet Books: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Ridley, R M and Baker, H F 1982 Stereotypy in monkeys and humans. Psychological Medicine 12: 61–72CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robinson, I 1992 Social behaviour of the cat. In: Thorne, C (ed) The Waltham Book of Dog and Cat Behaviour pp 79–95. BPC Wheatons Ltd: Exeter, UKGoogle Scholar
Roynon, JF 2000 The effectiveness of environmental enrichment on a pair of Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Professional Training Year Report, School of Biological Sciences, Cardiff University, UKGoogle Scholar
Rushen, J 1984 Stereotyped behaviour, adjunctive drinking and the feeding periods of tethered sows. Animal Behaviour 32: 1059–1067Google Scholar
Rushen, J 1985 Stereotypies, aggression and the feeding schedules of tethered sows. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 14: 137–147CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rushen, J, Lawrence, AB and Terlouw, EMC 1993 The motivational basis of stereotypies. In: Lawrence, AB and Rushen, J (eds) Stereotypic Animal Behaviour: Fundamentals and Applications to Welfare pp 41–64. CAB International Publishing: Wallingford, UKGoogle Scholar
Schaller, GB 1967 The Deer and the Tiger: A Study of Wildlife in India. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Seidensticker J, Christie S and Jackson P (eds) 1999 Riding the Tiger: Tiger Conservation in Human-Dominated Landscapes. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, SJ, Bloomsmith, MA, Porter, LM and Suarez, SA 1996 Enrichment effects on rhesus monkeys successively housed singly, in pairs, and in groups. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 48: 159–172CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, SJ, Bloomsmith, MA, Suarez, SA and Porter, LM 1998 Effects of social and inanimate enrichment on the behaviour of yearling rhesus monkeys. American Journal of Primatology 40: 247–2603.0.CO;2-Y>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shorey, D and Eaton, RL 1974 Management and behaviour of Bengal tigers under semi-natural conditions. In: Eaton, RL (ed) The World's Cats, Volume 2. Biology, Behaviour and Management of Reproduction pp 205–226. Feline Research Group: Seattle, USAGoogle Scholar
Sunquist, ME 1981 The social organisation of tigers (Panthera tigris) in Royal Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Smithsonian Contribution to Zoology 336: 1–98Google Scholar
Sunquist, M and Sunquist, FC 1992 Tijgers. In: Diderich P and van der Marel MP (eds) Katachtige roofdieren pp 94-104. Zuid-Hollandsche Uitgeversmaatschappij: Weert, The Netherlands [Title translation: Great Cats; chapter translation: Tigers]Google Scholar
Terlouw, EMC, Lawrence, AB and Illius, AW 1991a Influences of feeding level and physical restriction on development of stereotypies in sows. Animal Behaviour 42: 981–992CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terlouw, EMC, Lawrence, AB and Illius, AW 1991b Relationship between agonistic behaviour and propensity to develop excessive drinking and chain manipulation in pigs. Psychology and Behaviour 50: 493–498Google ScholarPubMed
Thapar, V 1986 Tiger: Portrait of a Predator. Collins: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Thapar, V 1989 Tigers: The Secret Life. Elm Tree Books: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Turner, A 1997 The Big Cats and their Fossil Relatives: An Illustrated Guide to their Evolution and Natural History. Columbia University Press: New York, USAGoogle Scholar
Tyabji, H 1991 Interaction between a male tiger and his cubs in Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 88(1): 107Google Scholar
van den Bos, R 1998 Post-conflict stress-response in confined group-living cats (Felis sylvestris catus). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 59(4): 323–330CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Veasey, JS 1993 The Effect of Social Composition and Enclosure Design upon the Behaviour of Captive Tigers. BSc Honours Thesis, University of London, UKGoogle Scholar
Weller, SH and Bennett, CL 2001 Twenty-four hour activity budgets and patterns in captive ocelots (Leopardus pardalis). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 71(1): 67–79CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wemelsfelder, F 1993 The concept of animal boredom and its relationship to stereotyped behaviour. In: Lawrence, AB and Rushen, J (eds) Stereotypic Animal Behaviour: Fundamentals and Applications to Welfare pp 65–95. CAB International Publishing: Wallingford, UKGoogle Scholar
Weston, M 1991 Some husbandry notes for Sumatran tigers and Persian leopards. In: Partridge, J (ed) Management Guidelines for Exotic Cats pp 72–76. The Association of British Wild Animal Keepers: Bristol, UKGoogle Scholar
Wiepkema, PR 1983 On the significance of ethological criteria for the assessment of animal welfare. In: Schmidt, D (ed) Indicators Relevant to Farm Animal Welfare pp 69–79. Martinus Nijhoff: The Hague, The NetherlandsGoogle Scholar
Wright, B 1989 A glimpse of tiger family life. Cat News 11: 16 Bougy-Villars, SwitzerlandGoogle Scholar