The importance of animal well-being for reproduction in captive

RESUMO

International zoos consider enrichment to be very important, with many reports in the literature confirming the efficacy of interactive techniques used with the exclusive objective of providing a better quality of life, with the consequent well-being and reproductive success of animals held in captivity. It is difficult to measure effectively well-being, but indirect measurements are considered to be reliable, such as physical health, physiological measurements of stress, and presentation of the typical behavioral patterns of the species under study. Techniques of behavioral enrichment are used to reduce the stress caused by captivity, which may manifest through inadequate physiological responses and atypical behavioral patterns for the species, considered to be stereotyped behaviors. As a quantitative parameter of the intensity of stereotypy in an animal, we can monitor the levels of fecal corticoid metabolites. The objective of behavioral enrichment is to improve the quality of care provided to captive animals by the identification and use of the environmental stimuli necessary for the psychological and physical well-being of these animals...