Measuring Animal Welfare Nadja Wielebnowski, PhD Conservation and Research Manager Oregon Zoo
Zoo Animal Welfare Science: An Emerging Field
Animal Welfare Committee Promoting Excellence in Animal Care • Established in 2001 • Formal inclusion and recognition of animal welfare as a central tenet of AZA’s animal programs
AZA AWC Welfare Definition Animal Welfare refers to an animal’s collective physical, mental, and emotional states over a period of time and is measured on a continuum from poor to excellent.
Implicit Concepts • Emotional & cognitive experiences • “Cradle to Grave” • Tradeoffs • Measures of good welfare
Resource Based Assessments: AZA Accreditation Enrichment + Enclosure Design + Nutrition + Research Programs + Veterinary Care + Husbandry Training + Population Management + Staff Training Maximize the Welfare Potential
Beyond Great Care Great care is a prerequisite for good welfare. For animals to thrive we need to take into account psychological aspects of welfare such as mental, emotional, and social health.
Animal Based Welfare Assessment • At individual animal level • Relative, not absolute • No single measure
Types of Welfare Assessments -Behavior Time budgets, behavioral diversity, activity, species-appropriate behaviors -Physiology Hormone levels, stress response, reproduction, nutrition - Physical Appearance & Health Body condition, muscle tone, species-specific health parameters
Behavior Lab – Oregon Zoo • Behavior Check sheets • Data Collection Apps • I-Pads • Camera/Video Recording • GPS/Accelerometers • VAST Volunteers!!!
Behavioral Indicators Positive: Self maintenance, curiosity, play, high behavioral diversity Negative: Stereotypic behaviors , aggression, self-injury, low behavior diversity
Endocrine Lab – Oregon Zoo Hormone Monitoring: Feces, Urine, Saliva, Serum
Physiological Indicators Measuring Hormones: • Reproductive function • Adrenal function/stress response CH 3 C O H 3 C H 3 C O
Reproductive Monitoring
The Stress Response “Good” versus “Bad” “Distress” “Eustress” Gorilla 600 500 1800 Fecal Corticoids (ng/g) 1600 Feacl glucocorticoids (ng/g) 400 1400 1200 1000 300 800 600 400 200 200 0 100 Days of Study 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41 43 45 47 49 51 53 55 57
Physical Indicators • Good body condition and weight • Fur, feather, skin condition • Reproductive success
Combining Measures Elephant Welfare Project 2010-14 70 AZA Zoos 255 Elephants 26 researchers Goal: Provide objective baseline data and identify risk factors that may impact welfare
Combining Measures Elephant Welfare Project 2010-14 • Body Condition & Health • Physiology • Behavior • Personality • Social Interactions • Space Use/Activity
Family Matters! • Multigenerational, matriarchal herds • Males and females • Calves
Social Complexity and Choices • Variable groupings • Time alone
Exercise - Motivation Is Key <2 miles/day >15 miles/day
Space • Complexity of space • Substrate • Interaction and Choices
Foraging/Feeding • Diversity • Predictable/Unpredictable
Ongoing Data Collection • Physiological data (fecal and serum samples) • GPS/accelerometer data • Behavior data (video tapes, cameras, observers) • Body condition and other health parameters New PhD Student, Sharon Glaeser
THANKS!
Borneo Forest Elephants .
Understanding and Improving Animal Welfare NWPTAG WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 20,
Farmed Animal Health and Welfare 2020 National Farmed Animal Health &
1 Community-Based Bird Clubs Animal Welfare Experts Animal welfare is
Contents of the presentation Consumers surplus Equivalent and compensating
Establishment and activities of an Animal Welfare Body Platform An example
Animal welfare charities and good governance What Not-For-Profits need to
Measuring Improvement in Equine Welfare by using SEBWAT Dr. V C Mishra Sr.
Animal Welfare Party Introductory Presentation Party History 2002: 2006:
7/17/2015 EUWelNet Coordinated European Animal Welfare Network Antonio
Briefing on the Draft Animals Policy Animal Welfare Charter Produced in
Crit Care & Shock (2011) 14:46-51 An unusual presentation of
Who is your speaker today? Born in North California. 52 years old Recognizing
Respiratory Gating with Novalis ExacTrac @ THOCC George Pavlonnis and Hui
How does the stress of caregiving get inside the body? Can we do anything
Black Infant Health Program Transforming African American women & their
Strategies for eating healthy and being active at home during the COVID-19
PGY2 Case Presentation John C Baniewicz, MD PGY2 Table of Contents -
Eur J Gen Med 2016;13(2):155-157 Case Report DOI : 10.15197/ejgm.1457
Case Presentation: An Irritable Infant With a Surprise Diagnosis Dr Mick
INTRAPARTUM FETAL HEART RATE MONITORING Definitions, Interpretation and
Stress Dosing of Steroid Third QPEM Conference 11-13 th of January 2019 Dr.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TB SCREENING IN A UNIVERSITY SETTING James R. Koski,