| dc.description.abstract | In zoos, stereotypic behaviours such as pacing are considered a cause for concern; visitors often interpret pacing as an indicator of stress or boredom and, therefore, compromised welfare. Indeed, factors postulated to influence pacing include stress, and limited enclosure size or lack of access to social partners. The aim of this study was to identify factors that influence pacing behaviour in South China tigers (P.t.amoyensis). Behavioural observations were performed twice daily from 12th January to 21st March and 30th October to 22nd December 2012.
To identify factors affecting pacing behaviour a logistic regression with random tiger effects and several factors as fixed effects was used. A backward stepwise method using Akaike’s Information Citerium (AIC) was used to reduce the number of factors in the final model.
To decrease the amount of pacing in the South China tiger in a reserve or a zoo, you must make the camp as big as possible, feed them as regularly as possible, buy young tigers and try to find the right equilibrium in temperature to have active tigers that pace as less as possible. Furthermore, it isn’t advisable to get the tigers used to people feeding them. They can be fed if the tigers are not able to see the people, for example, when they are in their shelter. If this is not possible, let one person feed the tigers. This to prevent the tigers to show pacing behaviour to people in general, because they associate them with food.
Besides this, pacing is also used to scent mark the tigers’ territory. Information to visitors can be given to make them more aware of this natural behaviour. To prevent more pacing minimize human activity in the camp. Switching between camps also increases exploratory behaviour and decreases pacing behaviour caused by boredom. However it increases pacing behaviour by scent marking their new territory. | |
