Evaluating the long-term behavioral impact of carcass feeding Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica)

Citation

Finch K, Williams LJ, Sauer C, and Holmes L. 2019. Evaluating the long-term behavioral impact of carcass feeding Asiatic lion (Panthera leo persica). In Brooks M, Freel T, Koutsos E Eds. Proceedings of the Thirteenth Conference on Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition, Zoo and Wildlife Nutrition Foundation and AZA Nutrition Advisory Group, Saint Louis, MO.

Abstract

Replicating species-specific feeding behaviors in captive carnivores presents a challenge for zoological collections and many studies have highlighted the benefits of a naturalistic feeding program, such as feeding whole prey/carcasses, on their health and psychological well-being (e.g., Bond & Lindburg, 1990; McPhee, 2002; Altman et al., 2010; Whitehouse-Tedd et al., 2015). However, most behavioral studies lack information about the long-term behavioral effects of implementing a more naturalistic and species-appropriate diet.

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