Welfare Assessment Tools in Zoos: From Theory to Practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narelle Jones ◽  
Sally Sherwen ◽  
Rachel Robbins ◽  
David McLelland ◽  
Alexandra Whittaker
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Zoo Animals ◽  
Specific Assessment ◽  
Scoring Schemes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Over Time

Zoos are increasingly putting in place formalized animal welfare assessment programs to allow monitoring of welfare over time, as well as to aid in resource prioritization. These programs tend to rely on assessment tools that incorporate resource-based and observational animal- focused measures since it is rarely feasible to obtain measures of physiology in zoo-housed animals. A range of assessment tools are available which commonly have a basis in the Five Domains framework. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to bring together recent studies examining welfare assessment methods in zoo animals. A summary of these methods is provided with advantages and limitations of the approach es presented. We then highlight practical considerations with respect to implementation of these tools into practice, for example scoring schemes, weighting of criteria, and innate animal factors for consideration. It is concluded that would be value in standardizing guidelines for development of welfare assessment tools since zoo accreditation bodies rarely prescribe these. There is also a need to develop taxon or species- specific assessment tools to inform welfare management.

scholarly journals Welfare Assessment Tools in Zoos: From Theory to Practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
narelle jones ◽  
Sally Sherwen ◽  
Rachel Robbins ◽  
David McLelland ◽  
Alexandra Whittaker
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Theory To Practice ◽  
Zoo Animals ◽  
Specific Assessment ◽  
Scoring Schemes ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Over Time

Zoos are increasingly putting in place formalized animal welfare assessment programs to allow monitoring of welfare over time, as well as to aid in resource prioritization. These programs tend to rely on assessment tools that incorporate resource-based and observational animal- focused measures since it is rarely feasible to obtain measures of physiology in zoo-housed animals. A range of assessment tools are available which commonly have a basis in the Five Domains framework. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to bring together recent studies examining welfare assessment methods in zoo animals. A summary of these methods is provided with advantages and limitations of the approach es presented. We then highlight practical considerations with respect to implementation of these tools into practice, for example scoring schemes, weighting of criteria, and innate animal factors for consideration. It is concluded that would be value in standardizing guidelines for development of welfare assessment tools since zoo accreditation bodies rarely prescribe these. There is also a need to develop taxon or species- specific assessment tools to inform welfare management.

scholarly journals Oaks (Quercus spp.) parasitised by mistletoe Viscum album (Santalaceae) in Britain

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-49
Author(s):  
John Box
Keyword(s):  
Quercus Robur ◽  
Viscum Album ◽  
Recent Survey ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
The Core ◽  
Red Oaks ◽  
Host Trees ◽  
Quercus Spp ◽  
Over Time

Information on oaks Quercus spp. parasitised by Viscum album L. in Britain that was obtained in a comprehensive review of the literature and records with site visits from 1996 to 1998 has been updated during 2017 and 2018. Currently there are thirteen confirmed mistletoe-oaks in Britain. V. album parasitising Quercus spp. mainly occurs at locations in and around Herefordshire in the core of the current and past distribution of V. album in Britain. The results of this recent survey accord with the earlier review and with reports in the 19th and early 20th centuries suggesting that the population of between ten and twenty Quercus trees parasitised by V. album in Britain appears to be relatively stable over time with some losses of host trees and gains from the parasitism of new trees. Quercus robur L. is the most frequent host amongst the existing mistletoe-oaks which also include ‘red oaks’ (Q. rubra L., Q. coccinea Münchh. and Q. palustris Münchh.). The estimated ages of the existing Quercus hosts range from 30 to 400 years. The mistletoe-oaks are located in woodland, woodland edges, hedges, parkland, a garden, a churchyard and open countryside by a watercourse.

scholarly journals A Review of Welfare Assessment Methods in Reptiles, and Preliminary Application of the Welfare Quality® Protocol to the Pygmy Blue-Tongue Skink, Tiliqua adelaidensis, Using Animal-Based Measures

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amelia Benn ◽  
David McLelland ◽  
Alexandra Whittaker
Keyword(s):  
Affective State ◽  
Assessment Methods ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Welfare Assessment ◽  
Behavioral Indicators ◽  
Welfare Quality ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Conservation Breeding ◽  
Current Guidelines

Reptiles are held at wildlife parks and zoos for display and conservation breeding programs and are increasingly being kept as pets. Reliable indicators of welfare for reptiles need to be identified. Current guidelines for the captive management of reptiles utilize resource-based, rather than animal-based indicators; the latter being a more direct reflection of affective state. In this paper we review the literature on welfare assessment methods in reptiles with a focus on animal-based measures. We conclude that, whilst a number of physiological and behavioral indicators of welfare have been applied in reptiles, there is need for further validation of these methods across the diversity of species within the Class. Methods of positive welfare state assessment are comparatively understudied and need elucidation. Finally, we examine some widely-used welfare assessment tools in mammals and explore the application of the Welfare Quality® Protocol to the endangered pygmy blue-tongue skink, Tiliqua adelaidensis. We propose that this framework can form the basis for the development of taxon-specific tools with consideration of species-specific biology.

A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists' Approaches to Assessing Social Communication Disorders in Children

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Kristen Izaryk ◽  
Robin Edge ◽  
Dawn Lechwar
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Communication Disorders ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Teacher Report ◽  
Formal Assessment ◽  
Language Sampling ◽  
Specific Assessment ◽  
Social Communication Disorders

Purpose The purpose of this article is to explore and describe the approaches and specific assessment tools that speech-language pathologists are currently using to assess social communication disorders (SCDs) in children, in relation to current best practices. Method Ninety-four speech-language pathologists completed an online survey asking them to identify which of the following approaches they use to assess children with SCD: parent/teacher report, naturalistic observation, formal assessment, language sample analysis, interviews, semistructured tasks, and peer/self-report. Participants were also asked to identify specific assessment tools they use within each approach. Results Participants most commonly assess SCDs by combining interviews, naturalistic observation, language sampling, parent/teacher report, and formal assessment. Semistructured tasks and peer/self-report tools were less frequently utilized. Several established parent/teacher report and formal assessment tools were commonly identified for assessing SCDs. Most participants use an informal approach for interviews, language sampling, and naturalistic observations in their SCD assessment process. Conclusions Generally, participants follow best practices for assessing SCDs by combining several different approaches. Some considerations for future assessment are identified, including the use of established protocols in the place of informal approaches in order to make the assessment of SCDs more systematic. Future directions for research are discussed.

Psychological and Cognitive Aspects of Borderline Intellectual Functioning

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastianina Contena ◽  
Stefano Taddei
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Intellectual Functioning ◽  
Clinical Impact ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Borderline Intellectual Functioning ◽  
General Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Over Time

Abstract. Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) refers to a global IQ ranging from 71 to 84, and it represents a condition of clinical attention for its association with other disorders and its influence on the outcomes of treatments and, in general, quality of life and adaptation. Furthermore, its definition has changed over time causing a relevant clinical impact. For this reason, a systematic review of the literature on this topic can promote an understanding of what has been studied, and can differentiate what is currently attributable to BIF from that which cannot be associated with this kind of intellectual functioning. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, we have conducted a review of the literature about BIF. The results suggest that this condition is still associated with mental retardation, and only a few studies have focused specifically on this condition.

Time-Out: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve A. Nida ◽  
Arona R. Muckenfuss ◽  
D. Michelle Turner ◽  
Kipling D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
Time Out

Hydrocephalus in Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeetendra P. Sah ◽  
Aaron W. Abrams ◽  
Geetha Chari ◽  
Craig Linden ◽  
Yaacov Anziska
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Clinical Characteristics ◽  
Clinical Presentation ◽  
Muscular Atrophy ◽  
Communicating Hydrocephalus ◽  
Type I ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Radiographic Findings ◽  
Comprehensive Review ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractIn this article, we reported a case of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) type I noted to have tetraventricular hydrocephalus with Blake's pouch cyst at 8 months of age following intrathecal nusinersen therapy. The association of hydrocephalus with SMA is rarely reported in the literature. Development of hydrocephalus after intrathecal nusinersen therapy is also reported in some cases, but a cause–effect relationship is not yet established. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of a patient with SMA type I and hydrocephalus, to review similar cases reported in the literature, and to explore the relationship between nusinersen therapy and development of hydrocephalus. The clinical presentation and radiographic findings of the patient are described and a comprehensive review of the literature was conducted. The adverse effect of communicating hydrocephalus related to nusinersen therapy is being reported and the authors suggest carefully monitoring for features of hydrocephalus developing during the course of nusinersen therapy.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document