Module 6 Lions Tigers and Bears Oh My

Module 6 Lions Tigers and Bears Oh My >>> Animal Behaviour and Welfare

 

Question 1
Which statement best describes behaviour-based husbandry?
 
  • An approach that uses the animal’s behaviour to inform their carers what they need and what they should be provided with.
  • An approach that involves providing animal’s with all the resources their carers believe they require, regardless of their present state.
  • An approach that ensures animals are housed in groups in order to make resource provision more efficient.
 
Question 2
Positive reinforcement is a type of operant conditioning that is often employed in captive wildlife environments to facilitate husbandry procedures and support the human-animal bond. What is involved in positive reinforcement training?
 
  • Positive reinforcement is used to encourage a behaviour by removing something the animal finds negative (e.g. a whip) once the animal performs a desired action (e.g. moves away from the whip).
  • Positive reinforcement is used to prevent an animal from acting out a behaviour by presenting the animal with something it deems negative e.g. a loud noise.
  • Positive reinforcement is used to encourage an animal to repeat a behaviour by rewarding the action with something the animal deems positive e.g. food.
 
Question 3
True or false: A training programme must be progressive and enjoyable in order to be successful and enriching for the animal.
  • True
  • False
 
Question 4
Read the following, and then consider the answer statements listed. For each answer option, decide if it correctly answers the question. Mark each statement you believe to be correct, and leave unmarked each answer you believe to be incorrect.
 
It is important that training sessions are well managed to avoid a negative welfare impact on the animal. What potential NEGATIVE welfare outcomes should be considered when designing an operant conditioning programme?
 
  • Less stress occurring during husbandry (e.g. cleaning animals) and veterinary procedures (e.g. clipping nails) as a result of these behaviours being encouraged by positive reinforcement.
  • Stress caused by separating an animal from its conspecifics during their training sessions.
  • A reduction in cortisol levels occurring as a result of the social interaction and mental stimulation provided during training sessions.
  • Frustration or confusion occurring because of a poorly designed training programme which means the animal has a negative experience with the process.
  • Anxiety or frustration for individuals not selected for training and thus not receiving additional attention and food rewards.
 
Question 5
True or false: If enrichment is provided for the animal, no other considerations are needed for the animal to have good welfare; even if the physical environment is unsuitable.
  • True
  • False
 
Question 6
Read the following, and then consider the answer statements listed. For each answer option, decide if it is true or false. Mark each statement you believe to be true, and leave unmarked each answer you believe to be false.
 
There are many different types of enrichments and ideally a complex variety of enrichments from different categories should be provided. Which of the following are enrichment types that can be provided to improve the captive animal’s welfare?
 
  • Barren enrichment, e.g. providing open, empty spaces to engage with.
  • Social enrichment, e.g. social stimuli, training, positive human interactions.
  • Fear stimuli, e.g. encouraging stress in animals through human interactions.
  • Feeding enrichment, e.g. novel food items, hidden food, food toys.
  • Cognitive enrichment, e.g. problem solving challenges
 
Question 7
Read the following, and then consider the answer statements listed. For each answer option, decide if it is true or false. Mark each statement you believe to be true, and leave unmarked each answer you believe to be false.
 
What are the reasons that live prey feeding is discouraged by animal welfare scientists and considered an inappropriate way of providing enrichment for captive animals?
 
  • The same behaviours that the enrichments aim to stimulate e.g. prey stalking and striking can be motivated by warm prey that has been humanely killed.
  • The prey animal, which is under human care, will experience distress and is likely to suffer during its death.
  • The obligate carnivores would not naturally prey on animals in the wild.
  • A more enriching experience and prolonged stimulation can be provided through artificial means that fit within a captive environment, e.g. hidden food.
  • The animals will get too tired chasing prey and food should be provided in a bowl to minimise the energy needed to feed.
 
Question 8
Read the following, and then consider the answer statements listed. For each answer option, decide if it is true or false. Mark each statement you believe to be true, and leave unmarked each answer you believe to be false.
 
In a recent paper (Melfi, 2009), gaps in our current knowledge and approach to zoo animal welfare were identified. What were these four gaps, discussed in this week’s video?
 
  • The provision of enrichment to encourage physical and mental stimulation.
  • Our knowledge and efforts to improve zoo animal welfare are limited to relatively few types of animals.
  • Deciding on the resources that an animal needs based on appropriate assessment of their behaviour and physiology.
  • A reliance to tradition and myth to decide how zoo animals should be managed.
  • Assuming that a lack of poor welfare is equivalent to the animal having good welfare.
  • Our understanding of how the animal’s environment affects its welfare is limited by our human perspective and anthropomorphic approach.
 
Question 9
True or false: An animal with a large natural home range is more likely to engage in pacing behaviour when in a captive environment.
  • True
  • False
 
Question 10
Why might animals with large natural home ranges require a more complex captive environment?
 
  • Far-ranging species are more likely to interact with a variety of ecosystems, terrain and other species. This complexity as well as space needs to be accommodated for in captive environments.
  • Larger and more far-ranging animals tend to attract more visitors, so their enclosure should be complex in order to provide an entertaining visit.
  • Animals with large home ranges are likely to be more sentient and so require more environmental stimulation to ensure good welfare; small animals are more content in barren enclosures.
 
Question 11
Read the following, and then consider the answer statements listed. For each answer option, decide if it is true or false. Mark each statement you believe to be true, and leave unmarked each answer you believe to be false.
 
Barren environments are often cited as the cause for abnormal repetitive (stereotypic) behaviours; however there can be more complex reasons. Which of the following statements about stereotypic behaviour are true?
 
  • Repetitive behaviours can only be a result of trauma experienced in the animal’s adult life.
  • Abnormal behaviours can be seen both while the animal is experiencing stress and long after the animal has suffered from the stressor and is now in a better environment.
  • It is impossible to alter abnormal behaviours once they have begun.
  • Repetitive behaviour can occur as a result of frustration and/or repeated attempts to cope with a stressor.
  • Steretypic behaviour can be caused by central nervous system dysfunction.
 
Question 12
True or false: Captive animals will experience the same problems with old age as their wild counterparts.
 
  • True
  • False
Other Questions Of This Category

Module 4 The Truth About Dogs and Cats

Module 3 What We Can Measure We Can Manage

Animal Behaviour and Welfare Coursera Quiz | week (5- 6)