BY: CHELSEA BROOKS, LEIGH CLODFELTER, AND HEATHER KEY

Environmental Enrichment Project

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Scent Enrichmentwith Bud & Redford

Brief Review of Natural History

Physical Characteristics Males are usually 12-68

lbs. and 32-37” in length  Lifespan of 12-13 years. Grayish to reddish brown,

streaked and/or spotted, tips of tails and ears are black

Diet Prey includes insects, fish,

amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

Rabbits make up about 50% of their diet

Habitat Swamps, deserts, and

mountain ranges Prefer areas with extensive

thickets or dense shrubs Found in the United States

and southern Canada to most of Mexico

Bobcat Behavior

Depending on the season, bobcats may be crepuscular or diurnal.

Male and female ranges are well defined with scent markings, feces, and other means; however, ranges may shift depending on the season. Males tend to keep a more constant range.

When not sleeping, bobcats spend their day climbing, stalking, hunting and patrolling their habitat.

Bobcats are usually solitary and territorial mammals. While male territories often overlap, female bobcat territories never do.

Preliminary Behavioral Findings: Ethogram

Locomote Standing By Gate Pacing Running Trotting Looking Around Observing Play Behavior Scent Marking Expelling Waste Sitting Startled Vocalize Grooming

Ear Twitch Smelling Jumping Lying Down Climbing Listening Scratch/Gnaw Sunning Wagging Tail Yawning Stretching Hanging Predation

Bud – 4 Year Old Male

Preliminary Behavioral Findings: Ethogram

Locomote Standing By Gate Pacing Running Trotting Looking Around Observing Play Behavior Scent Marking Expelling Waste Sitting Startled Vocalize Grooming

Ear Twitch Smelling Jumping Lying Down Climbing Listening Scratch/Gnaw Sunning Wagging Tail Yawning Stretching Humping Bite/Chew Licking

Redford – 14 Year Old Male

Enrichment Hypothesis

By placing scents in the bobcat exhibit we hope to increase natural behaviors and play behaviors while decreasing undesirable and stereotypical behaviors.We plan to monitor the following behaviors during our next observations:• Climbing/Jumping - Animal pushes itself off a surface and into the air by using the muscles in its legs and feet and/or animal moves up an object or surface with gradual or continuous progress.• By the Gate - Animal is sitting, standing, lying, or pacing by the keeper gate.• Play Behavior - Animal interacts with other animal or environment in a nonaggressive manner (e.g., chasing, pouncing, crouching, stalking, fleeing, pawing, wiggling backside).

Purpose of Enrichment

Climbing Jumping Play Behavior

Sitting by Gate Standing by Gate Pacing by Gate

Increase Natural/DesirableBehaviors:

Decrease Undesirable Behaviors:

See Video Redford Pacing

Submitting Ideas for Approval & Implementation

of ProjectPresented Environmental Enrichment Proposal – 02/04/13

Enrichment Approved – 02/04/13(After minor adjustments)

Pre/Post Enrichment Implemented – 02/10/13 thru 03/13/13 (See calendar)

Data Analyzed– 03/18/13 thru 03/31/13

Scientific Paper Composed– 04/01/13 thru 04/11/13

Final Presentation – 04/15/13(After minor adjustments on next slide)

Scientific Paper Submitted– 04/15/13 (see calendar on slide 11 for exact times)

Project Results Shared– on or after 04/15/13(Cosley Zoo, Phoenix Zoo, NC Zoo,& Conservator’s Center)

Proposed ScentEnrichment Elements

Final ScentEnrichment Elements

Enrichment Schedule

Observation always done between 2:15pm-3:15pm on scheduled dates

Type of Recording:

Ad libitum: Write down whatever seems relevant, no systematic constraints. Used for preliminary data collection in order to define behavioral categories.

One Zero (1/0) Sampling: An observation period (30 to 60 minutes) which will be divided into one minute sample intervals. Record a +/- for the specific behavior if the behavior occurs at anytime during the sample interval.

Methods of Research

Documentation Method

• Checksheets were used to document data collected

• Checksheets were created using Excel spreadsheets

•Data analyzed and represented using pie charts and bar graphs

• Some photo and video documentation as well

Photo/Video Documentation

Scent bags were prepared the same way during each enrichment exercise and they were consistently placed in the same 5 locations.

Photo/Video Documentation

BudClimbing/Jumping

Play Behavior

Scent Marking

RedfordPhoto on right – not as much increased behaviors but removed from gate

BudOur goal for Bud was to increase his play behavior, climbing and jumping. Bud exhibited little to no pacing and engaged in more of the desired behaviors as well as locomotion and scent marking.

RedfordWith Redford’s age and physical limitations, we weren’t as interested in increasing his climbing and jumping as we were in reducing his time spent by the keeper gate. Some of the scent enrichment presented to him proved an excellent way to distract his stereotypic behavior and the pacing was greatly reduced.

Results

Results - Bud

Results - Redford

More Results

BudHe showed the best results on Catnip Scent Enrichment day. He displayed no Pacing by Gate behavior. His Climbing/Jumping behaviors were 11% of the observation period and Play Behavior was 24% of the observation period.

RedfordHe showed the best results on Mint Scent Enrichment day. He spent only 67 seconds of the 60 minute observation period displaying the Pacing by Gate behavior. His Climbing/Jumping behaviors were 5% of the observation period and Play Behavior was 4% of the observation period. Catnip Scent Enrichment Day was Redford’s second best for results.

Our Recommendations: If you decide to implement scent enrichment on the bobcats at RWA in the future, Catnip seems to be the best scent to use based on the results of our analysis. If this is to be used for bobcats at other facilities, catnip has proven to be a good scent to use with bobcats in general.

Questions?

Works Cited

Bear-Tracker. "Animal Tracks - Bobcat (Lynx Rufus - Formerly Felis Rufus).” Bear-Tracker. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013.<http://www.bear-tracker.com/bobcat.html>

Big Cat Rescue. "Big Cat Enrichment at Big Cat Rescue." Big Cat Rescue Corp., 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013 <http://bigcatrescue.org/enrichment/> 

Martin, Paul, and Patrick Bateson. Measuring Behaviour: An Introductory Guide. 3rd ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. 1-151. Print.

Natural History Museum. "North American Mammal - Bobcat | Natural History Museum of Los Angeles." Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http:// www.nhm.org/site/explore-exhibits/permanent-exhibits/north-american-mammals/bobcat>

National Geographic. Book of Mammals. Vol. 1. p104-105.: National Geographic, 1981. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

Ohio Division of Wildlife. "Bobcat." Life History Notes, Publication 377. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http:// www.dnr.state.oh.us/Portals/9/pdf/pub377.pdf>

Safe Haven Rescue Zoo. "Environmental Enrichment." Safe Haven Rescue Zoo, 2012. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://www.safehavenwildlife.com/Enrichment%20Program/enrichment.html>

Works Cited Continued

Shepherdson, David J., Jill D. Mellen, and Michael Hutchins, eds. Second Nature Environmental Enrichment for Captive Mammals. Washington And London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. 172-183. Print. Shepherdson, David J., Jill D. Mellen, and Michael Hutchins, eds. Second Nature Environmental Enrichment for Captive Mammals. Washington And London: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. 184-201. Print.

Theuman, Jenny. "Bobcats, One of This Zookeeper’s Favorites." Cosley Tails Fall. 2012: Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://www.cosleyzoo.org/PDFs/cosleytails_2012_fall.pdf>Tresz, Hilda and Linda Ambrose, Holly Halsch, and Annette Hearsh. "Providing Enrichment at No Cost." The Shape of Enrichment Volume 6, No. 4 November. 1997: Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http:// www.phoenixzoo.org/learn/animals/ProvidingEnrichmentatNoCost.pdf>

The University of Georgia. "GAWW: Species Description." GAWW: Species Description. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://naturalhistory.uga.edu/~gmnh/gawildlife/index.php?page=speciespages/ species_page&key=frufus>

USDA Forest Service. "Lynx Rufus." Lynx Rufus. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2013. <http://www.fs.fed.us/ database/feis/animals/mammal/lyru/all.html>