Responses to potential captivity-induced stressors in captive-born cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) : implications for behavioural and physiological stress and gastrointestinal health

Abstract

Stress is an intrinsic part of nature. As such, animals have evolved a repertoire of behavioural and physiological strategies to adapt to environmental variation. However, a growing concern in wildlife conservation is the apparent tendency for threatened species to have a reduced ability to adapt to variable environmental conditions, predisposing them to the deleterious outcomes of chronic stress. This thesis assessed different methods for measuring behavioural and physiological responses to psychological stressors in threatened species using the cheetah model. I simulated scenarios depicting conditions considered to be potential psychological stressors for captive cheetahs, namely (i) a more naturalistic reduced feeding days schedule, (ii) the provision of environmental enrichment (EE), (iii) participation in animal-visitor interactions (AVI), and (iv) the close proximity to other large predators. Using emerging biologging technology and more traditional measures of stress-related behavioural and physiological responses, variations in body temperature (Tb), heart rate (HR), locomotor activity (LA), behaviour, faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentration, and faecal consistency score were documented. The circadian rhythm of Tb, HR, and LA demonstrated an increase in all parameters at around 0700 hours (shortly after sunrise) and again at about 1600 hours (shortly before sunset) for Tb. In Chapter 2, the findings encourage a more naturalistic reduced feeding days schedule to mediate the unnatural composition of horsemeat-based diets routinely fed to cheetahs in captivity and as an effective EE strategy. Chapter 3’s findings encourage the provision of EE to enhance the welfare of captive cheetahs, particularly cognitive, sensory, and nutritional enrichment, while cautioning against social enrichment as an effective EE strategy. Chapter 4 reiterates the ambiguous impact of AVIs on the animals involved, including whether they are positive, neutral, or negative. The findings in Chapter 5 highlight the importance of trepidation when imposing minimally harmful negative events not to be contrary to the welfare of cheetahs in captivity. The thesis provides a holistic assessment of cheetahs’ resilience to the captive setting using a multi-method approach and, potentially, a basis on which appropriate management and husbandry protocols may be developed for the species that better accommodate its requirements.