Environmental enrichment
Environmental Enrichment
Environmental enrichment is a principle in animal husbandry that seeks to enhance the quality of captive animal care by identifying and providing the environmental stimuli necessary for optimal psychological and physiological well-being.
Pronunciation
/enˌvīrənˈmen(t)l/ /enˈriCHmənt/
Etymology
The term "environmental enrichment" is derived from the words "environment", which comes from the French environner meaning "to surround", and "enrichment", which originates from the Old French enrichir, meaning "to make rich".
Definition
Environmental enrichment can be defined as the process of enhancing an animal's environment or habitat by providing stimuli that promote the expression of natural and species-specific behaviors. It also seeks to minimize any abnormal behaviors and increase the animal's overall quality of life.
Types of Environmental Enrichment
Environmental enrichment can be categorized into several types, including:
- Physical Enrichment: This involves altering an animal's environment to promote natural behaviors. This could include adding climbing structures for primates or hiding places for small mammals.
- Social Enrichment: This involves the introduction of conspecifics (members of the same species) to promote social interaction.
- Cognitive Enrichment: This involves providing opportunities for problem-solving, usually through the use of toys or puzzles.
- Sensory Enrichment: This involves stimulating an animal's senses, such as smell, sight, touch, taste, and hearing.
Related Terms
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Environmental enrichment
- Wikipedia's article - Environmental enrichment
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