The Effects of Enrichment in Rehabilitating Eastern Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardii)

There is empirical support for the efficacy of enrichment in improving health and well-being in laboratory, agricultural, and zoo settings. However, little research has been done on the possible value of enrichment in facilitating successful reintroduction of rescued animals. This study extends the literature on enrichment to rehabilitation settings, and has implications for improving the welfare of rehabilitating seal pups and reducing the costs of rehabilitation.

Publications

 Chudeau, K.R., Johnson, S.P., & Caine, N.G. (2019). Enrichment reduces stereotypical behaviors and improves foraging development in rehabilitating Eastern Pacific Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina richardii). Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 19, 104830. [more info]

More Info

The Use of Cues to Assess and Improve the Welfare of Seals in Wildlife Rehabiliation

As part of my PhD research, I am examining other behavioral management interventions to improve animal welfare in wildlife rehabilitation. Some of these interventions include the use of cues and the assessment of anticipatory behavior.

Publications

Krebs, B.L., Chudeau, K.R., Eschmann, C.L., Tu, C.W., Pacheco, E., & Watters, J.V. (2022). Space, time, and context drive anticipatory behavior: Considerations for understanding the behavior of animals in human care. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9, 972217. [more info]

More Info