Watch and listen to a zoo-focused virtual behavior chat hosted by Dr. Eduardo (Eddie) J Fernandez (Florida Tech; University of Adelaide), with Sabrina Brando (AnimalConcepts), Dr. Elizabeth (Betsy) Herrelko (Smithsonian's National Zoo), Nicholas (Nic) Bishop (Adelaide Zoo). It was recorded on February 26th, 2021. In this chat, we cover many topics related to the science and practice of animal training, enrichment, and general welfare of zoo animals. Some specifics include increasing and examining optimal animal-visitor interactions, training as both a means to increase husbandry/veterinary procedures as well as a form of enrichment, how we incorporate both research and practice into proper zoo animal welfare, and lots of responses to attendee questions/comments. On the YouTube page, you also find a lot of references! You can access by clicking HERE

Ongoing learning and sharing is at the core of AnimalConcepts philosophy and to continue serving our community in the human wellbeing sp...

There have been many advancements in zoo animal welfare and management that are present in modern, accredited zoos. These have been shaped by two major behavioural welfare advances: (a) the use of training to increase voluntary husbandry care, and (b) the implementation of environmental enrichment to promote naturalistic behaviours. Both practices have their roots in behaviour analysis, or the operant conditioning-centered, reward-based approach. The authors present key individuals and events that formed two of the advancements of the modern zoo: (1) the emergence of reward-based husbandry training practices, and (2) the engineering of environmental enrichment. This paper suggests ways in which behaviour analysis can continue to advance zoo welfare.

Links to some practical examples

Animal welfare is an ever-evolving field that practitioners keep in mind when implementing training and management practices. With this evolution, our understanding of the learning process can help provide an overall positive environment for the animals we care for. With good human-animal relationships, caregivers have the power to assess behaviour to inform how to alter practices, in order to address, prevent and treat behavioural differences seen in human care. Practitioners must remember that animals are always learning from their environment. It is crucial to understand the roles animal behaviour and learning play in animal welfare to provide them the best care.

Links to some practical examples

There is an increasing concern for improving the well-being of marine mammals held in human care for research, display, and rehabilitation. Therefore, more effort is progressively put into assessing animal stress. The ability to measure stress is indeed necessary for identifying the least stressful methods for capturing and handling marine mammals. Circulating cortisol levels are accepted as a sensitive indicator of acute stress in marine mammals, particularly in relation to capture and handling. This study presents the first long-term monitoring of cortisol levels in four harbour porpoises (an adult male, an adult female and two juvenile females) held in human care.

Links to some practical examples

While science and ethics are separate philosophical approaches, they are not mutually exclusive - ethics can and should drive science and vice versa. In other words, scientists and animal care practitioners should be involved in making ethical decisions and the ethics can be supported and facilitated by scientific observations and data. Animal training ethics are guided by a number of principles, such as any existing legislation surrounding the use of animals, training guidelines, and the opinions and experience of animal trainers. It is important that these guidelines are adaptable and flexible; as more data is collected through practice, animal welfare scientists and practitioners can continuously seek various methods of improving the living conditions of animals living in and out of human care.

Links to some practical examples

In October 2022 Sabrina Brando from AnimalConcepts and Sally Thompson-Iritani from the University of Washington presented at the 73rd AALAS Conference in Louiseville, USA and featured a Spotlight Forum on oncology in laboratory animal science. Sally presented our poster on "A culture of care for human wellbeing: The importance of cross-pollination across animal-related fields". If you feel inspired you can download the poster on our Resources page HERE

“I realised this isn’t new, this interconnection, this view of holistic understandings of who we are… back to indigenous cultures” - Sam Crowell

This podcast utilises the audio from the webinar that took place on 30 April 2021 on the Planetary wellbeing platform by AnimalConcepts.

Let us welcome Dr Sam M. Crowell Jr. He is a professor emeritus from California State University, San Bernardino. He founded the MA in Holistic and Integrative Education and is a founding member of the Network in Spirituality and Education. He serves as a faculty member of the Earth Charter Education Center for Sustainable Development and has been engaged in the Earth Charter movement for several years.
Sam informs us how his beginnings with his doctorate in the social foundations of education, influenced his career as a teacher. He enthused about how teaching, allows for collaboration and further learning. Furthermore, he highlights how his indigenous heritage has given influenced his teaching style and sen...

“Education can change minds, if you can change minds, you can change mindsets, you change the behaviours and change the collective, so it is crucial”. - Alicia

This week’s podcast utilises the audio from the webinar interview led by Alicia Jiménez which took place on the 29th of January 2021 from the AnimalConcepts platform.

Let us welcome Alicia Jiménez, the Director of Programmes at the Earth Charter International Secretariat in Costa Rica. She has been working in the field of conservation and sustainable development since 1998.

The conversation discusses why it is essential to work together to maintain nature. However, this would require a new mindset, through cultural transformation to expand our perception and rethink our values. Education is a key player in this and can influence change. The Earth Charter can be used as a guideline to produce lessons.

The Earth Charter is a working document, containing sixteen principles within four pillars in sixty languages to promote a glo...

In June 2022 Sabrina Brando from AnimalConcepts and Sally Thompson-Iritani from the University of Washington presented at the15th FELASA Congres in Marseille, France, a joined FELASA and AFSTAL event. The motto of this FELASA Congress is COMMUNICATION. The central theme led through various content streams: communication between animals, between animals and humans, between fellow researchers, between trainers and trainees, between laboratory Animal Science specialists at all levels and the Society. Sally presented our poster on "A culture of care for human wellbeing: The importance of cross-pollination across animal-related fields". If you feel inspired you can download the poster on our Resources page HERE

“Crises offer an invitation to do things differently. Embracing this opportunity clearly demands an overhaul of what is considered ‘leadership’ in our society. We need to up our game! What we need are masterful warriors with a crystal clear vision and the ability to incite the necessary inspiration, creativity and faith that catalysis transformational change. We need wise leaders instead of smart managers.” - Rolf Winters

Let us welcome Rolf Winters to WeBuzz. He is an explorer of life, a leadership coach, a public speaker, and Wise Leaders Ltd founder. 

Rolf starts by explaining how the meaning of success is fluid and changes every few years, as well as being subjective to the individual and what they had aimed to achieve. He explains how in his profession, he aims to promote the spirit of an individual and groups.

Rolf shares with us about when he and his family lived with a clan of native Americans. They took themselves out of the Western system to live with nature and learn a ne...