The behavior patterns of giraffes ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) housed across 18 US zoos.

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  • Author(s): Wark JD;Wark JD; Cronin KA; Cronin KA
  • Source:
    PeerJ [PeerJ] 2024 Oct 31; Vol. 12, pp. e18164. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Oct 31 (Print Publication: 2024).
  • Publication Type:
    Journal Article
  • Language:
    English
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: PeerJ Inc Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101603425 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2167-8359 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 21678359 NLM ISO Abbreviation: PeerJ Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Original Publication: Corte Madera, CA : PeerJ Inc.
    • Subject Terms:
      Animals, Zoo* ; Giraffes* ; Behavior, Animal*; Animals ; Male ; Female ; United States ; Stereotyped Behavior ; Feeding Behavior ; Animal Welfare
    • Abstract:
      Interpreting animal behavior in the context of welfare can be inherently challenging given the limited behavior data available for many species housed in zoos. Describing common behavior patterns may help animal managers by providing additional background when assessing the individuals in their care. Although valuable, these efforts require a large, collaborative approach and have, consequently, been rare. Here, we share the behavior patterns of zoo-housed giraffes, an iconic and commonly housed megafauna in zoos. Behavior data were evaluated for 66 giraffes living across 18 AZA-accredited zoos using the ZooMonitor Community platform. Data were recorded during 10-minute observation sessions. Observations were conducted during daytime hours over the course of approximately one year at each zoo (mean total observed time per individual = 23.2 hr). The most common behaviors observed were feeding/ foraging behaviors, which accounted for 38.6% of the mean visible time budget across giraffes. Time spent in these behaviors varied by individual and ranged from 14.3% to 69.3% of visible time. Stereotypic behaviors occurred in all study individuals, with oral stereotypic behaviors being most common. Although prevalent, stereotypic behaviors varied considerably across giraffes, with some individuals exhibiting these behaviors only on a few occasions to an individual that exhibited these behaviors once every few minutes. This study provides a robust evaluation of giraffe behavior across zoos to present a picture of their common behavior patterns in managed care. We hope these multi-institutional behavior patterns can provide perspective to aid animal managers in evaluating giraffes in their care.
      Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests.
      (©2024 Wark and Cronin.)
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    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Animal behavior; Animal welfare; Foraging behavior; Multi-institutional; Stereotypic behavior; ZooMonitor
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20241104 Date Completed: 20241104 Latest Revision: 20241105
    • Publication Date:
      20241105
    • Accession Number:
      PMC11531738
    • Accession Number:
      10.7717/peerj.18164
    • Accession Number:
      39494299