Comparison of the behaviour of European brown bears (Ursus arctos arctos) in six different parks, with particular attention to stereotypies.

ABSTRACT

In order to assess the influence of environmental parameters on their behaviour, 16 European brown bears were observed in six different zoological parks. Activities were measured by scan sampling and their relationships to housing conditions were established by multifactorial correspondence analysis and cluster analysis. The largest enclosures were characterised by high scores of play, social behaviours, eating, and interest in the inside as well as the outside of the enclosure. Because these parks were newer, their bears were the youngest of those studied. Stereotypies were associated with medium age animals and small enclosures. The oldest subjects were characterised by high frequencies of resting. Stereotyped walk was observed only in those parks where keepers throw food to the bears. This result and detailed observation of stereotyped movements suggest that the meaning of the stereotypy for the animal could be to induce the keeper's arrival.