Abstract
Animal personality is becoming more of a focus in a variety of fields, and whereas there is still a bias toward primates, it is important to assess personality in other species. There is little work done with felids, yet felids represent a population of animals that could benefit from such research. Most of the 37 species of felids are endangered, with as few as 60 of some species left in the wild (e.g., the Amur leopard). In addition, due to their large home range sizes, they face distinct challenges in zoos. Although steps are being taken to address both conservation and welfare of these animals, understanding the causes and consequences of felid personality has the potential to aid in these efforts, with the goal of improving the lives of individual animals, and ensuring the future of each species. This chapter considers the measurement of felid personality, its relationship to health and life outcomes, and its potential role in conservation and welfare. Much more research focused on felids is needed, and personality research can add greatly to the field.
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Gartner, M.C. (2017). Felid Personality and Its Implications. In: Vonk, J., Weiss, A., Kuczaj, S. (eds) Personality in Nonhuman Animals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-59300-5_11
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