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Animals
Special Issues
Captive Animals: Perspectives, Practices, Challenges and Ethics
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Captive Animals: Perspectives, Practices, Challenges and Ethics

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Ethics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2023) | Viewed by 12360

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Rachel Grant

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Applied Sciences, London South Bank University (LSBU), London SE1 0AA, UK
Interests: animal behaviour; animal welfare, particularly in non-mammalian species and species that have complex needs in captivity, such as psittacines, amphibians and reptiles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is designed to collate articles pertaining to the challenges and practice of ethically keeping animals in captivity and will include topics such as:

  • animal ethics 
  • ethics of zoos 
  • welfare of captive species 
  • highlighting new areas of welfare concern 
  • highlighting new ways of captive welfare measurement 
  • connection between animal welfare and emerging diseases 
  • conflicts between welfare and conservation 
  • conflicts between government policy and welfare 

Dr. Rachel Grant
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2433 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Enrichment on Leopard Geckos (Eublepharis macularius) Housed in Two Different Maintenance Systems (Rack System vs. Terrarium)
by Damian Zieliński
Animals 2023, 13(6), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13061111 - 21 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4179
Abstract
The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of environmental enrichment for Eublepharis macularius depending on the maintenance method (terrarium vs. rack system). The hypothesis was that reptiles kept in an extremely low-stimulus environment (rack system) would be more prone to [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to test the usefulness of environmental enrichment for Eublepharis macularius depending on the maintenance method (terrarium vs. rack system). The hypothesis was that reptiles kept in an extremely low-stimulus environment (rack system) would be more prone to interact with environmental enrichment items than those kept in a biotope terrarium. During the study, 21 female geckos were kept in two types of captive enclosures: 9 in terrariums, and 12 in rack system boxes in groups of 3 animals per enclosure. During the enrichment sessions, geckos were observed for 45 min while enrichment items (dry and wet hides, a new feeding method, a new object) were present in the enclosure. All geckos showed interest in enrichment items that enabled hiding and climbing. Animals kept in the rack system showed significantly lower latency in approaching enrichment items and a higher frequency of enrichment interactions than lizards in biotope terrariums. However, no significant differences were found in the total time spent interacting with enrichment items between geckos in the two settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Captive Animals: Perspectives, Practices, Challenges and Ethics)
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13 pages, 1141 KiB  
Article
Defining Short-Term Accommodation for Animals
by Clifford Warwick, Catrina Steedman, Mike Jessop and Rachel Grant
Animals 2023, 13(4), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13040732 - 17 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2498
Abstract
The terms short-term, temporary, and transitional are related but can have different contexts and meanings for animal husbandry. The definitions and use of these terms can be pivotal to animal housing and welfare. We conducted three separate literature searches using Google Scholar for [...] Read more.
The terms short-term, temporary, and transitional are related but can have different contexts and meanings for animal husbandry. The definitions and use of these terms can be pivotal to animal housing and welfare. We conducted three separate literature searches using Google Scholar for relevant reports regarding short-term, temporary, or transitional animal husbandry, and analysed key publications that stipulate relevant periods of accommodation. English Government guidance regarding acceptable short-term, temporary, or transitional accommodation for animals varies widely from <1 day to 3 months; whereas independent scientific criteria and guidance use typical periods of hours to several days. Stipulations regarding acceptable short-term, temporary, or transitional accommodation, notably among English Government guidance, which we focused on in this study, were highly inconsistent and lacked scientific rationale. The definitions and use of terms for both formal and other guidance should be limited to precautionary time frames within one circadian cycle, i.e., periods of <24 h. At ≥24 h, all animals at all facilities should be accommodated in conditions that are consistent with long-term housing, husbandry, and best practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Captive Animals: Perspectives, Practices, Challenges and Ethics)
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46 pages, 611 KiB  
Article
Mobile Zoos and Other Itinerant Animal Handling Events: Current Status and Recommendations for Future Policies
by Clifford Warwick, Anthony Pilny, Catrina Steedman, Tiffani Howell, Albert Martínez-Silvestre, Vanessa Cadenas and Rachel Grant
Animals 2023, 13(2), 214; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13020214 - 06 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5014
Abstract
Mobile zoos are events in which non-domesticated (exotic) and domesticated species are transported to venues such as schools, hospitals, parties, and community centres, for the purposes of education, entertainment, or social and therapeutic assistance. We conducted literature searches and surveyed related government agencies [...] Read more.
Mobile zoos are events in which non-domesticated (exotic) and domesticated species are transported to venues such as schools, hospitals, parties, and community centres, for the purposes of education, entertainment, or social and therapeutic assistance. We conducted literature searches and surveyed related government agencies regarding existing provisions within laws and policies, number of mobile zoos, and formal guidance issued concerning operation of such events in 74 countries or regions. We also examined governmental and non-governmental guidance standards for mobile zoos, as well as websites for mobile zoo operations, assessed promotional or educational materials for scientific accuracy, and recorded the diversity of species in use. We used the EMODE (Easy, Moderate, Difficult, or Extreme) algorithm, to evaluate identified species associated with mobile zoos for their suitability for keeping. We recorded 14 areas of concern regarding animal biology and public health and safety, and 8 areas of false and misleading content in promotional or educational materials. We identified at least 341 species used for mobile zoos. Mobile zoos are largely unregulated, unmonitored, and uncontrolled, and appear to be increasing. Issues regarding poor animal welfare, public health and safety, and education raise several serious concerns. Using the precautionary principle when empirical evidence was not available, we advise that exotic species should not be used for mobile zoos and similar itinerant events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Captive Animals: Perspectives, Practices, Challenges and Ethics)
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