Enclosure modification effects on zone usage and activity patterns of a captive ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

Abstract

Captive animals kept in animal sanctuaries are found due to their inability to return to

wildlife because of permanent damage or humanization. Those captive animals have

long displayed stereotypical behaviors, these are linked to welfare issues such as self-injuries, excessive grooming or pacing. Pacing is described as a repetitive, ambulatory

movement with no apparent function or goal. Although pacing is linked to stress, stress

factors not always display an increase of pacing, sometimes they even reduce it. Direct

link between stress factors that generate a physiological response, and their behaviors

is still ambiguous on the Felidae family, studies have shown stress factors such as visitor

effect decreasing, increasing or having no response at all on pacing. This study aims to

reduce stereotypical pacing on a captive ocelot by modifying the enclosure he is captive

in. Modifications include vertical exploitation, new platforms, new and denser vegetation

and building a small fort, maintaining the enclosure dimensions unchanged. It is

proposed that stereotypical pacing is a non-natural behavior developed by captive

animals because of their captivity status, therefore efforts on reducing their pacing should

be done on the enclosure. Data was gathered from the enclosure before and after

modifications by recordings of the ocelot over six time zones. Results showed a common

distribution for both enclosures for the actions performed on them, though significant

decrease in pacing in the new enclosure was seen, as well as significant increase in

resting behaviors and zone usage diversification. The new fort and some of the new

platforms achieved great usage, diversifying the link between zone and action. New

resting behavior features are thought to have an impact on the ocelot resting behavior,

increasing it and diversifying it, as a result, pacing was reduced. Resting areas are

essential for cat’s well-being, thus their implementation granted the ocelot a retreat space

where he could not be seen, away from the stress factors such as visitors, staff or loud

noises