Tongue twisters: feeding enrichment to reduce oral stereotypy in giraffe

• Published in: Zoo biology Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 200 - 212
• Main Authors: Fernandez, Loraine Tarou, Bashaw, Meredith J, Sartor, Richard L, Bouwens, Nichole R, Maki, Todd S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.05.2008
• Subjects: animal behavior; animal welfare; captive animals; environmental enrichment; equipment design; feeder design; feeders; feeding behavior; foraging; Giraffa camelopardalis; Giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi; giraffe; housing; oral behavior; Primates; rumination; stereotyped behavior; stereotypic behavior; tongue; tongue manipulation; welfare; zoo animals

Stereotypic behavior has been well-studied and documented in a variety of animals including primates, carnivores, and domesticated ungulates. However, very little information is known about stereotypic behavior of captive exotic ungulates. Giraffe have been found to perform a wide range of stereotyp...