“Understanding the perceptual world of other species is a combined exercise in science and imagination.” — Christine Nichol
Environmental Enrichment and Behavioral Management
Animals have evolved and adapted to live in complex environments with a wide variety of engaging sensory and cognitive stimuli. In captive environments, the animals’ environment is often much more predictable and lacks variation. Environmental enrichment is a tool that, when used appropriately, can improve physical health, psychological health (or welfare), and the ability to adapt to change and challenges. Incorporating enrichment and behavioral management strategies in wildlife rehabilitation settings can provide immediate animal welfare outcomes and long-term conservation outcomes.
Wildlife Rehabilitation
Rescuing wild animals suffering from illness or injury, placing them in temporary human care to receive veterinary treatment with the intent of releasing them back to the wild.
Animal Welfare
The quality of an animal’s subjective experiences that includes a balance of pleasant and unpleasant mental states. Welfare concerns arise in predictable, highly regulated environments.
Behavioral Competency
The ability for an animal to successfully navigate, understand, & adapt to a variety of environmental contexts that develops by collecting environmental information that aids in decision-making.
Enrichment
A husbandry tool that varies activities or stimuli that expands an animal’s choice and control, promotes problem-solving, and encourages species-typical behaviors.
Enrichment Stimuli
Enrichment Design Tips
Animal Safety
It is important to have a stimulating but safe environment. Certain enrichment stimuli that may be “animal safe” for one species or individual, may not be for another species or individual. It is important to consider the durability of materials and mitigate safety concerns during the design & construction. When implementing new enrichment stimuli, it is important to observe animal responses and regularly check the integrity of the stimulus.
Behavioral Goals
Effective enrichment should have a behavioral goal, taking into account: What is the natural history of the animal? What behavior is the device encouraging? What sensory system is this device stimulating? Does the device promote vigorous activity? Will multiple animals be able to interact with the device? Understanding how animals normally behave in the wild, can help us figure out how to help them be able to safely express those behaviors while in rehab.
