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Behavior Analysis and Training

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Zoo Animal Welfare

Part of the book series: Animal Welfare ((AWNS,volume 14))

Abstract

Going by different labels, including behavioral husbandry and applied behavior analysis, behavioral management is a discipline of psychology that deals with the functional analysis of environment and behavior. Behavioral management is an umbrella term that encompasses many aspects of welfare, including behavior analysis, environmental and cognitive enrichment, environmental design, biological (ecological) constraints, socialization and re-socialization techniques, and both medical and performance training. With this in mind, behavior analysts working in human clinical settings can be recruited to work side by side with zoo keepers, zoo biologists, and zoo veterinarians. Likely as not, behavior therapies developed for use with humans will be effective for many different species. Historically, aquatic parks with marine mammals were among the first to utilize operant conditioning. This was a great step forward because Skinnerian positive control techniques were highly effective with dolphins, sea lions, and birds. One of the first zoos to utilize positive control was the US National Zoo when they hired marine mammal trainer Karen Pryor to mentor keepers to train great apes and other species. The field of behavioral analysis is expanding throughout the world as illustrated by the extraordinary growth in the membership of the Association of Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). Synergistic relationships are feasible through the regional associations of ABAI and organized zoo associations such as SEAZA in Asia. We regard the brokering of such partnerships as a high priority for advocates of a global zoo animal welfare movement.

The problem of occupational therapy, of providing pastimes in the zoo … has recently been given more and more attention, to the great benefit of the animals. We are no longer content to let animals vegetate stupidly in narrow cages, as in the old-fashioned menageries, but do our utmost to see that their lives are healthy and full, and as positive as possible.

H. Hediger

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wilkes Honors College Biology and Psychology Departments, Florida Atlantic University, Jupiter/Boca Raton, FL, USA

    Terry L. Maple

  2. Department of Psychology, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Bonnie M. Perdue

Authors
  1. Terry L. Maple
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  2. Bonnie M. Perdue
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© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Maple, T.L., Perdue, B.M. (2013). Behavior Analysis and Training. In: Zoo Animal Welfare. Animal Welfare, vol 14. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-35955-2_7

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