Publication Date
4-2020
First Advisor
Jodee Hunt
Abstract
Animals alter their behavior in response to changes in their environment such as alterations to their enclosure, social group, or husbandry routine. In 2018, two related, young adult Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) were transferred to the John Ball Zoo (JBZ). The male siblings were given access to a spacious, wooded outdoor enclosure (area = 920 m²). We used Zoomonitor in 2018 and 2019 to conduct focal-animal sampling of the two males. We recorded state behaviors in 30 sec intervals of scan sampling, and all occurrences of event behaviors, both during 30 min sampling sessions. Our study objective was to compare patterns of behavior and enclosure use in 2018 (immediately after introduction to JBZ) and 2019 (one year post-introduction). The two males initially used little of their outdoor space, but expanded their spatial repertoire to include all areas of the enclosure by August 2018; this pattern of more expansive use of the enclosure continued into 2019.
ScholarWorks Citation
Gerke, Caitlin and Hensley, Faith, "Thing 1 and Thing 2 are in a New Zoo: Changes in Behavior of Amur Tigers Following Introduction to John Ball Zoo" (2020). Student Scholars Day Posters. 61.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/ssd_posters/61
