Instantaneous Sampling Research Articles

Non-Invasive Measurement of Progesterone and Cortisol Metabolites in the Faeces of Captive Female Rusa unicolor at Zoo Negara, Malaysia and Its Reproductive and Stress Behaviour

Sambar deer are listed as vulnerable and are bred in captivity under governmental management. The success of captive breeding programs varies, and the underlying causes are unclear. The advantage of using non-invasive faecal samples to obtain hormonal profiles without the animal being sedated or restrained has not been tested in sambar deer. This experiment was aimed to study the reproductive and stress behaviours of sambar deer and to measure the levels of reproductive and stress hormones in captive female sambar deer via a non-invasive procedure using faeces samples. Data on reproductive and stress behaviour were collected from six sambar deer for six months. Behaviours were recorded by instantaneous sampling method using direct observation. The reproductive and stress hormones in faecal samples were analysed using ELISA procedures. There are differences in frequency of certain reproductive behaviours recorded within different sessions of data collections while stress behaviour was in the low count and no huge difference in frequency between different sessions. Progesterone metabolites showed some trend of high concentrations in July and started to drop at the end of July till the end of December with constantly negative concentrations. Sambar deer in Zoo Negara can be considered not in stress due to low reading of cortisol concentration even though there was a presence of visitors. In future, it is important to make sure the faecal samples for hormonal analysis are collected daily to look for the pattern of the oestrus cycle in sambar deer.

Impacts of Socialization on Bull Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Stereotypical Behavior

There is a growing need for animal care institutions to house multiple bull elephants as the population increases due to transfers from private ownership and the births of male offspring in managed care. Elephants in North American, European, and Latin American zoos exhibit stereotypies—repetitive, fixed behaviors. Previous research demonstrated that housing Asian elephants alone increased stereotypic behavior. Therefore, for animals in managed care, social restriction can contribute to stereotypy and, by extension, reduce welfare. In this study, we examine how being alone affects stereotypic behavior by monitoring pacing and head-bobbing in individual bull Asian elephants at Denver Zoo when housed alone as well as with other bulls. Two young males arrived at Denver Zoo in September 2018 and joined an existing all-male group of three elephants that were previously socialized and housed together. From July 2018 to December 2019, we used instantaneous scan sampling to collect data on stereotypic behavior of focal bulls when they were housed alone and socially. The frequency of pacing and head-bobbing significantly decreased when the elephants were housed socially compared to when they were housed alone; these stereotypies were lower when elephants were housed with at least one other bull and were in close proximity to a conspecific. Additionally, pacing decreased as the proportion of affiliative behaviors increased, and the amount of agonistic behavior did not significantly affect stereotypic behavior. When housed alone, bulls in musth engaged in significantly more pacing behavior than when they were out of musth. Our results indicate that housing bull Asian elephants in all-male groups substantially improves their welfare by reducing stereotypies and provides a basis for future evidence-based management.

Feeding ecology of Lepilemur septentrionalis in the dry forest of Montagne des Français, northern Madagascar

Abstract The role of folivorous primates in ecosystem restoration has been largely overlooked. This may primarily be due to the lack of basic ecological information on many of these species. The northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), for example, is one of the most endangered primates in the world, yet we lack baseline ecological knowledge of this lemur. This dearth only serves to exacerbate their situation as conservation initiatives do not have the fundamental information needed to properly manage conservation efforts for this species. To obtain an ecological baseline for L. septentrionalis, we used instantaneous focal animal sampling to collect behavioral data, including strata use, to investigate feeding ecology for five individuals over a 12-month period (December 2018-November 2019) in Montagne des Français. We conducted a total of 755.1 hours of observation. Our results showed that L. septentrionalis’ diet consisted of mature and young leaves, ripe and unripe fruits, flowers, and buds. Mature leaves of Tamarindus indica were the most frequently consumed resource, yet L. septentrionalis consumed 61 different species of plants from 23 families. Though mature leaves were the most frequently consumed resource overall, we only observed L. septentrionalis eating them during the cold/dry season. The most frequently used stratum during feeding was the canopy, which correlated strongly with the consumption of mature and young leaves. Though many aspects of this species’ diet are similar to other Lepilemur, there are specific ecological conditions, notably seasonal frugivory, which should be considered when developing restoration ecology programs in Montagne des Français.

The development and application of dual-comb spectroscopy in analytical chemistry

Analytical chemistry plays an important role in the qualitive and quantitative analysis for molecules in the various circumstances, especially for the high-resolution analysis. The dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) technology with the characteristics of high resolution, high sensitivity and instantaneous sampling exhibited a great potential in high-resolution in-situ spectral methods and has been active in the fields of spatial ranging, air composition analysis, reaction monitoring and so on. In this review, we will summarize the principle of DCS according to the different wavelength coverage and overview the applications of DCS in analytical chemistry.

Foraging Behaviour of the Eurasian Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus in Its Peak Abundance After Wildfire

In the boreal biome, forest fires are the most important natural disturbance influencing tree substrate availability and quality for a range of specialized species. This includes the Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, which is known to promptly utilize burned forest habitats. However, there are no studies addressing the foraging behaviour of this woodpecker in forests affected by wildfire. Such knowledge could assist the development of efficient post-fire management strategies which are in line with biodiversity conservation objectives. This study describes the foraging behaviour of the Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker during the breeding season in a forest area of 13,100 ha in southcentral Sweden affected by a major wildfire in 2014. During the second breeding season after fire, we used instantaneous sampling where we observed the foraging behaviour of 28 individuals during a total of 1681 observation minutes. Our results suggest that Norway Spruce Picea abies and larger diameter trees (DBH > 25 cm) are important foraging substrates. However, data on time spent foraging on the different substrates suggest that Scots Pines Pinus sylvestris also are important. In particular, we identified the importance of the root collars, where excavation into sapwood was the main foraging method. Our study was performed during a clearly visible peak of Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker abundance and this may suggest that the level of food resources available was very high which led to observed foraging patterns not necessarily observed in other types of habitats.

Behavioral Pattern of Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea, Central-Eastern Mediterranean Sea)

Relatively scant information is available on the Risso’s dolphin in comparison to the other species regularly present in the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, its conservation status has been updated to Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in this Sea. Therefore, the need to increase information on its biology and ecology is even more urgent. This study reports the first preliminary information on the behavioral traits of the species occurring in the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea). Data on predominant behavioral activity states and on a set of group composition variables (group formation, cruising speed, dive duration and interaction between individuals) were collected from April 2019 to September 2021, applying the focal-group protocol with instantaneous scan sampling. Group size, depth and group composition variables were compared between activity states. Results highlight that both the group size and the several variables considered varied significantly depending on activity state. The group size was significantly smaller during feeding than resting and traveling and a characterization in terms of group formation, cruise speed, dive duration and interaction between animals is provided for the different activity states. Moreover, a list of behavioral events which occurred, as well as their relative frequency of distribution among activity states, is reported. Finally, details on the sympatric occurrences between Risso’s and striped dolphins, as well as the repetitive interaction observed between adult individuals and plastic bags floating on the sea surface, are reported and discussed.

Time budgets and activity patterns of the southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) in a human‐modified landscape, Wollo, Ethiopia

AbstractUnderstanding the behavioural ecology of primates in human disturbance areas is crucial to developing conservation management plan. Southern geladas (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) are endemic subspecies of geladas that are threatened by habitat loss and degradation in the Ethiopian Highlands. During the 18‐months period, we conducted this intensive study in an unprotected area of human‐modified landscape to examine the diurnal time budgets and activity patterns of southern geladas. We quantified the time budget data from a band of southern gelada using instantaneous scan sampling method. Southern geladas had an overall diurnal activity budget of 49.5% feeding, 17.5% resting, 16.2% moving, 13.0% grooming and 3.0% socialising. The band spent significantly more time feeding during the dry season than the wet season. However, the band spent significantly more time during the wet season than the dry season in resting and grooming activities. We observed variations in the trend of activity patterns during the daylight hours between the wet and dry seasons. We found consistent relationships between monthly time budget and food availability. Our results contribute to improve our knowledge on the behavioural ecology of gelada populations in human‐modified landscape across the Ethiopian Highlands.

Energy saving in day-roosting female Myotis emarginatus during reproduction (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

From May to June 2012, we studied the behaviour of day-roosting reproductive female Geoffroy’s bats in a maternity roost in eastern Burgenland (Austria) which is under surveillance from 2011 till to date. By using a remote-controlled infrared-illuminated video camera, we conducted six weekly sessions of direct observation and instantaneous scan sampling, each lasting 16 hours. Based on a total of 384 sampling sessions, we quantified the amount of time adult females spent in the activities resting, alert, grooming and relocating during pregnancy and lactation. Ambient and roost temperatures were recorded hourly, the numbers of individuals returning to the roost in the mornings were registered constantly by using an infrared light barrier. Over the entire study period, all bats arriving in the maternity roost in the morning formed immediately a single huddling cluster. As a rule, this cluster was large, multilayered, three-dimensional and tight. It did not change in size and form until the onset of pre-emergence activities. It consisted of an interior part in which about 50% of all bats roosted and the periphery consisting of those bats which had not succeeded in entering the interior. Over the entire diurnal stay in the roost, resting – which causes the least energy output – was the predominant behaviour of all roost mates. Significant differences were found, however, in the amount of time allocated to some activities by bats occupying different positions in the cluster. While bats in the interior of the cluster spent the estimated 90–95% of the entire day-roosting period resting, bats on the periphery spent only 57–73% resting. The average percentage of time allocated by peripheral bats to grooming decreased from 27% in the first week to 19–13% in the following weeks of pregnancy and stayed at 16% during the two weeks of lactation. The mean percentages of being alert and of relocating ranged between 7–10% and 4–7%, respectively. During the last two weeks of pregnancy and the two weeks of lactation, roost temperatures, daily colony size and reproductive states did not influence the huddling behaviour significantly. However, activities performer in the first and second week were probably influenced by unrest due to colony formation after the return from hibernation (week 1) and by cold ambient temperatures during the week 2. Our study supports the hypothesis that the short duration and notable timing of reproduction typical for Myotis emarginatus (Spitzenberger & Weiss 2020) is achieved by maximal energy saving through continuous huddling in a large, three-dimensional, multilayered and tight cluster over both the entire day-roosting and entire reproductive period, differences in the behaviours of bats located in the interior and on the periphery of the cluster and lack of social interactions between roost mates.

Inter-group conflicts involving adult female and male bearded capuchins, Sapajus libidinosus (Primates: Cebidae), in the context of provisioned resources: resource defense or sexual selection?

Intergroup conflicts are energetically more costly than intra-group disputes, and thus typically occur in contexts in which the energetic returns are relatively high. In anthropogenic environments, provisioned resources tend to be rich in energy and highly agglomerated. While females are expected to defend provisioned resources, the adult males, in turn, are expected to defend the females. Based on this premise, the present study focused on an urban forest in the city of Goiânia (Goiás, Brazil), which is inhabited by two groups of bearded capuchins. Behavioral data were collected using instantaneous scan sampling and all-events records to document intergroup conflicts and define their context. We used a backward logistic regression and stepwise linear regression to analyze the participation of the individuals in the conflicts. Conflicts were more frequent in the context of provisioning, although the number of neither females nor males involved in the conflict varied significantly between contexts. The females did avoid participating in conflicts involving adult males, however, to minimize the risk of being attacked by them. The adult males participated more in the presence of other adult males, which is partly consistent with the hypothesis of the defense of reproductive partners. The conflicts were not more intense in the context of provisioned resources, which contrasted with expectations. The hierarchical relationship between the two study groups, and the fact that the groups were derived from the same social unit, may have contributed to a reduction in the intensity of the conflicts.

Relationship between foal daily gain, suckling behavior, and the distance between foals and their mares in the first 40 days of life of Hokkaido native horses kept outdoors year-round.

In this study, we investigated suckling behavior and the distance between a foal and its mare as indicators of foal growth in Hokkaido native horses (HKD) during the first 40 days of life. Direct observations were made of 22 mare and foal pairs from two consecutive days 1 and 2, 5 and 6, 10 and 11, 20 and 21, 30 and 31, and 40 and 41 after birth by focal animal sampling for 3h per day. Suckling behavior was continuously recorded, along with the terminator. The distance between the foal and its mare was determined using the instantaneous sampling method (1min), and the percentage was calculated within 4m while the foal was recumbent (DPW4FR). In the first week after birth, the duration and frequency of suckling terminated by the foal were negatively correlated with foal daily gains (duration, -0.49, p = 0.028; frequency, -0.53, p = 0.017). The DPW4FR and daily gain during 10-40 days after birth showed significant negative correlation (-0.47, p = 0.031). It is suggested that in HKD reproduction systems, suckling behavior termination by the foal and the distance between the foal and mare may be indicators of early foal growth.

Domain Adaptation With Self-Guided Adaptive Sampling Strategy: Feature Alignment for Cross-User Myoelectric Pattern Recognition

Gestural interfaces based on surface electromyographic (sEMG) signal have been widely explored. Nevertheless, due to the individual differences in the sEMG signals, it is very challenging for a myoelectric pattern recognition control system to adapt cross-user variability. Unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) has achieved unprecedented success in improving the cross-domain robustness, and it is a promising approach to solve the cross-user challenge. Existing UDA methods largely ignore the instantaneous data distribution during model updating, thus deteriorating the feature representation given a large domain shift. To address this issue, a novel method is proposed based on a UDA model incorporated with a self-guided adaptive sampling (SGAS) strategy. This strategy is designed to utilize the domain distance in a kernel space as an indicator to screen out reliable instantaneous samples for updating the classifier. Thus, it enables improved alignment of feature representations of myoelectric patterns across users. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, sEMG data were recorded from forearm muscles of nine subjects performing six finger and wrist gestures. Experiment results show that the UDA method with the SGAS strategy achieved a mean accuracy of 90.41% ± 14.44% in a cross-user classification manner, outperformed the state-of-the-art methods with statistical significance ( ). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed UDA framework and offers a novel tool for implementing cross-user myoelectric pattern recognition towards a multi-user and user-independent control.

Activity pattern and habitat association of Assamese macaques Macaca assamensis McClelland, 1840 in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal

Assamese macaque Macaca assamensis McClelland, 1840 is one of the primate species with narrow distribution range and the least exploration. This study investigated the diurnal activity of Assamese macaque and association with the vegetation in Nagarjun Forest of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nepal. Behaviour sampling including Instantaneous sampling and Ad-libitum sampling (7:30 AM – 4:30 PM) along with vegetation survey (20 m × 20 m plots) were applied. The Raniban Barrack troop of Assamese macaque composed of 12 individuals was observed for a total of 225 hours to record the macaque’s diurnal activity. The troop spent 28% time in inactive, 25% in grooming, 23% in foraging, 23% in locomotion and 1% in fighting. Assamese macaque troop spent more time in Schima wallichii possessing 25.91%, 36.29% and 41.22% for foraging, locomotion and inactive respectively of the diurnal time. Altogether, 67 plant species (herbs, shrubs, trees and climbers) were documented from vegetation analysis. Schima wallichii and Ardisia macrocarpa were dominated the habitat. Paired t-test revealed significant difference in foraging (df = 24, P = 0.010) and inactive (df = 24, P = 0.003) between the morning and day observational phases. The findings of this study shed light on the food preference and microhabitat use by the protected Assamese macaque in Nepal that assists to formulate the management plans for the species.

Time budget of daily activity of silvery lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus) in coastal forest habitat at Gunung Padang, West Sumatra

Primate’s time budgets are the important aspect to investigate their ecological influences in their habitat. This study collected data on daily activities in a group of silvery lutung (Trachypithecus cristatus) in coastal forest habitat at Gunung Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia from August 2018 – July 2019, using instantaneous scan sampling method with 10-min intervals. This study analyzed the activity of wild silvery lutungs in study site, with emphasis on the age-sex differences and montly changes in their activity budget. This group spent most of time resting in their daily activity (average 47.50% of the total daytime resting), then followed by moving, feeding, grooming and other activities (conflict, nursing, urinating-defecating, playing, etc.). Resting peaked simultaneously in the morning and peaked back in the afternoon while moving and feeding decreased in this period. Their time budgets showed significant monthly variation: they spent a higher value of time feeding from September - Oktober 2018. They also differed among different sex-age classes: nursing females spent more time for actively moving, whereas adult male and single females devoted more time to resting, feeding, and grooming. These differences in their time budgets may reflect fundamental differences in reproductive biology, parental investment and development among the different age-sex classes.

Corrections to Kusnetz method for measurements of radon progeny concentrations in air

In 1956, H.L. Kusnetz proposed a quick method for radon progeny concentration measurement in mine atmosphere using a single gross-alpha count of a membrane-filtered air. The method is still widely used today and is based on a number of impractical assumptions. An instantaneous sampling time (less than ten seconds), is one of these assumptions that ignores the build-up and decay of the progeny on the filter paper during the sampling period, which is typically in the order of a few minutes. Of special concern is the 214Bi decay during the sampling period, since 214Po's alphas are lost during the sampling time and cannot be accounted for during the counting time. In addition, the method assumes that 214Bi activity during the counting period is constant. This inaccurate assumption can result in a smaller count rate, especially when counting times are long. Hence, underestimated working levels are expected when using Kusnetz factors without correcting for the sampling and counting times. In this technical report, exact sampling and counting time corrections to the method are provided along with the updated Kusnetz factors that correspond to common equilibrium conditions to correctly estimate the Working Level in air. Additionally, time corrections to the commonly used self-absorption correction formula and the lower level of detectability (LLD) equation used for any sample measurement are given.

The Effect of Light Intensity, Strain, and Age on the Behavior, Jumping Frequency and Success, and Welfare of Egg-Strain Pullets Reared in Perchery Systems.

Simple SummaryThe effect of light intensity on pullet behavior and welfare is not well studied. In this study, two strains (Lohmann LSL-Lite and Lohmann Brown-Lite) of pullets reared in floor pens containing a perchery system were tested under one of three light intensities (10, 30, or 50 lux). Behavior, jumping frequency and success, fear, and stress levels were assessed throughout the study. Pullets reared at 50 lux spent more time preening (comfort behavior) than pullets reared at 10 lux, while pullets reared at 10 lux spent more time pecking at walls (exploratory behavior). All pullets increased their time spent preening with age. The number and accuracy of jumps also increased with age. Light intensity did not affect landing success, nor did it affect pullet fear or stress levels. Lohmann-LSL-Lite pullets performed more jumps than Lohmann Brown-Lite pullets, while Lohmann Brown-Lite pullets spent more time performing exploratory behaviors. Lohmann Brown-Lite pullets also scored higher on the fear and stress assessments, which might suggest genetic differences between the two strains. Overall, the results suggest that light intensity does not affect pullet behavior, although higher light intensity at 50 lux may slightly increase preening in the pullets, which may indicate positive welfare attributes.The effects of light intensity (L) are not well studied in pullets. Our research objective was to study the effect of L on navigational success, behavior, and welfare of two pullet strains (S). In two repeated trials, a 3 × 2 × 4 factorial arrangement tested three L (10, 30, 50 lux) and two S (Lohmann Brown-Lite (LB), LSL-Lite (LW)) at four ages. One thousand eight hundred pullets/S (0–16 wk) were randomly assigned to floor pens within light-tight rooms (three pens/S/room, four rooms/L) containing four parallel perches and a ramp. Data collection included jumping frequency and success (24h continuous sampling), novel object tests (fear), heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratios (stress), and behavior (instantaneous scan sampling) during photoperiods. L did not affect injurious behavior, fear, or H/L. Pullets reared at 50 lux spent more time preening than at 10 lux. Pullets reared at 10 lux spent more time wall pecking than at 50 lux. Time spent standing and preening and total number and accuracy of jumping increased with age. Pullets reared at 30 lux had higher jumping frequency than at 10 lux; accuracy was not affected. LW jumped more than LB, but with similar success. LB spent more time exploring and scored higher in the fear and stress assessments, suggesting S differences.

Behavioural Indicators of Intra- and Inter-Specific Competition: Sheep Co-Grazing with Guanaco in the Patagonian Steppe.

Simple SummaryIn extensive livestock ranching, where animals are maintained at high numbers, competition between individuals is expected, but not generally assumed. To compensate for reduced food availability, herbivores modify their feeding behaviour, which can be used as an indicator of competition. We investigated behavioural changes of domestic sheep in Chilean Patagonia in response to herd size, food availability, and the presence of a wild competitor, the guanaco, considered a problem for sheep production by ranchers. Large sheep herds were associated with a decrease in sheep grazing, while food availability increased time spent feeding. Guanaco had no effect on sheep behaviours. Behavioural changes were mostly associated with competition between individual sheep and not with guanaco. We suggest that to improve sheep production, ranchers should focus on sheep management at appropriate herd sizes according to grassland capacities.In extensive livestock production, high densities may inhibit regulation processes, maintaining high levels of intraspecific competition over time. During competition, individuals typically modify their behaviours, particularly feeding and bite rates, which can therefore be used as indicators of competition. Over eight consecutive seasons, we investigated if variation in herd density, food availability, and the presence of a potential competitor, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), was related with behavioural changes in domestic sheep in Chilean Patagonia. Focal sampling, instantaneous scan sampling, measures of bite and movement rates were used to quantify behavioural changes in domestic sheep. We found that food availability increased time spent feeding, while herd density was associated with an increase in vigilant behaviour and a decrease in bite rate, but only when food availability was low. Guanaco presence appeared to have no impact on sheep behaviour. Our results suggest that the observed behavioural changes in domestic sheep are more likely due to intraspecific competition rather than interspecific competition. Consideration of intraspecific competition where guanaco and sheep co-graze on pastures could allow management strategies to focus on herd density, according to rangeland carrying capacity.

A Strategy for Field Evaluations of Exposures and Respiratory Health of Workers at Small- to Medium-Sized Coffee Facilities.

Coffee production is a global industry with roasteries throughout the world. Workers in this industry are exposed to complex mixtures of gases, dusts, and vapors including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, coffee dust, allergens, alpha-diketones, and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Adverse respiratory health outcomes such as respiratory symptoms, reduced pulmonary function, asthma, and obliterative bronchiolitis can occur among exposed workers. In response to health hazard evaluations requests received from 17 small- to medium-sized coffee facilities across the United States, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health conducted investigations during 2016–2017 to understand the burden of respiratory abnormalities, exposure characteristics, relationships between exposures and respiratory effects, and opportunities for exposure mitigation. Full-shift, task-based, and instantaneous personal and area air samples for diacetyl, 2,3-pentanedione and other VOCs were collected, and engineering controls were evaluated. Medical evaluations included questionnaire, spirometry, impulse oscillometry, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide. Exposure and health assessments were conducted using standardized tools and approaches, which enabled pooling data for aggregate analysis. The pooled data provided a larger population to better address the requestors' concern of the effect of exposure to alpha-diketones on the respiratory heath of coffee workers. This paper describes the rationale for the exposure and health assessment strategy, the approach used to achieve the study objectives, and its advantages and limitations.

Extending Our Scientific Reach in Arboreal Ecosystems for Research and Management

The arboreal ecosystem is vitally important to global and local biogeochemical processes, the maintenance of biodiversity in natural systems, and human health in urban environments. The ability to collect samples, observations, and data to conduct meaningful scientific research is similarly vital. The primary methods and modes of access remain limited and difficult. In an online survey, canopy researchers (n = 219) reported a range of challenges in obtaining adequate samples, including ∼10% who found it impossible to procure what they needed. Currently, these samples are collected using a combination of four primary methods: (1) sampling from the ground; (2) tree climbing; (3) constructing fixed infrastructure; and (4) using mobile aerial platforms, primarily rotorcraft drones. An important distinction between instantaneous and continuous sampling was identified, allowing more targeted engineering and development strategies. The combination of methods for sampling the arboreal ecosystem provides a range of possibilities and opportunities, particularly in the context of the rapid development of robotics and other engineering advances. In this study, we aim to identify the strategies that would provide the benefits to a broad range of scientists, arborists, and professional climbers and facilitate basic discovery and applied management. Priorities for advancing these efforts are (1) to expand participation, both geographically and professionally; (2) to define 2–3 common needs across the community; (3) to form and motivate focal teams of biologists, tree professionals, and engineers in the development of solutions to these needs; and (4) to establish multidisciplinary communication platforms to share information about innovations and opportunities for studying arboreal ecosystems.

Use of space, active and resting behaviour in fattening rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) housed in a combi park system: A case study

AbstractIn this case study, a housing system for rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was developed, complying with the new German Welfare Regulation, and evaluated on-farm with regard to the rabbits’ behaviour during four fattening periods. The housing system was characterised by the large group size of fatteners (maximum 65 animals per group, 12 animals per m2) due to the merging of six former single units for does and their litters, post-weaning. A large elevated platform, a box with a roof (small elevated platform), a tube and gnawing materials were made available per unit. The aim being to assess the suitability of the housing system for rabbits with regard to animal welfare, based on behavioural analyses. Therefore, the use of space by the rabbits (n = 247) was investigated by video analysis (instantaneous scan sampling) during daytime. Additionally, the individual behaviour of 20 focal rabbits in different locations was assessed by continuous sampling. Results showed that rabbits preferred to huddle together in the outer units in the first weeks post-weaning. The highest animal densities were found under and in front of the large and on the small platforms. The large platforms were visited increasingly from the 10th fattening day onwards. Elevated platforms supported resting and comfort behaviours. Non-elevated open-top areas enabled upright positions and locomotor behaviours. Aggression and stereotypic behaviours rarely occurred. We conclude that the housing system supported species-specific behaviour and seemed to cater for the needs of rabbits in terms of welfare. Nevertheless, further investigation is needed to ascertain the effects on animal health and performance.

The effect of animal shelter sound on cat behaviour and welfare

AbstractThis study assessed how sound affected fear- and maintenance-related behaviour in singly housed cats (Felis silvestris catus) in an animal shelter. Two daily 30-min observation sessions (morning and evening) were made for 98 cats from admittance for ten days or until the cat was removed. Cat behaviour and presence of sound (classified by the source) were recorded by instantaneous and one-zero sampling with 15-s intervals. Each 30-min observation session was classified as ‘quiet’ or ‘noisy’ if the one-zero score for presence of sound was above or below the median of sessions at that time of day. To ensure that cats had at least two complete days of comparable observations, statistical analysis was restricted to the 70 cats (30 females, 40 males) present for two or more weekdays. Cats varied widely in the amount of fear and maintenance behaviour they performed. Males showed less fear and maintenance behaviour than females. Morning sessions consistently had much more sound than evenings, and cats showed more fear behaviour and less maintenance behaviour in the mornings. Cats showed more fear behaviour in noisy morning sessions than quiet ones, with no comparable difference in maintenance behaviour. Where sessions included a pronounced transition in sound, fear-related behaviour was more common after a transition from quiet to noisy and less common after a transition from noisy to quiet The results show that shelter cats vary greatly in their responses and suggest that sound in shelter environments can substantially affect their behaviour. Lowering sound levels in shelters may help improve cat welfare.