Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Dennis Moore, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of English. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 4, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in History. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [386]-425). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/yorku/fullcit?pNQ99176

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A..11 species of Tapiridae and Rhinocerotidae are threatened or endangered in the wild. Captive populations have been established for most of these species, but successful management has proved challenging. Effective ex situ conservation strategies, however, rely on the ability of zoological institutions to maintain and breed these endangered species. In this study, I examined the captive environment to identify the factors associated with reproduction, mortality, and health of rhinos and tapirs. Zoological institutions in the North American region that currently housed rhinos and/or tapirs were surveyed in 2003. Attaining an approximately 90% response rate, I compiled information on the following variables to describe the captive environment: number of enclosures, enclosure type, enclosure area, number of animals, public viewing, percent of walls surrounding the enclosure, enclosure substrate, topography, vegetation, mud wallows, pools, shelters, percent shade, climate, diet, feeding regime, time spent by keepers, and vaccinations. Information regarding the incidence of health problems also was obtained through the survey. Studbook data was used to obtain life history and demographic information. Three species of tapirs [Baird's (Tapirus bairdii), South American (T. terrestris), and Malay (T. indicus)] and three species of rhinos [black (Diceros bicornis), white (Ceratotherium simum), and Indian (Rhinoceros unicornis)] were included in this study. Due to the small captive population sizes, genetic and demographic Allee effects were detected. While tapirs responded similarly to their captive environment, each rhino species responded differently. Both exhibit area and completely were associated with the responses of captive tapirs and rhinos. Climate also was an influential factor for both groups of species. Other key factors included density, diet, keeper time, percent of public perimeter, and vaccinations. Complex interactions among the variables were found, including a nonlinear relationship between mean exhibit size and reproduction for black rhinos. The results of this study can be used to improve the captive management of tapirs and rhinos. By identifying the patterns associated with successful reproduction, reduced mortality, and fewer health problems, we can move towards establishing self-sustaining populations for these species. This goal is critical for the continued husbandry and conservation of these species.

Just graduated, Livy McHaney moves into a loft owned by father and daughter Wallace and Keegan Sammler. As Livy gets to know the Sammlers, he becomes fascinated by the sense Wallace makes out the world, a skill difficult for Livy. At the same time, Livy starts working at Zoo Dunn conducting its Tournado Train. Wallace explains to Livy his reflections on animals, enthralling Livy with his big ideas about freedom and questioning when one is supposed to not. In an attempt to make his grand pronouncements concrete, Wallace recruits Livy into a secret plan to kidnap and set free a popular young elephant from Zoo Dunn. Once in motion, much of their plan fails and everything appears less certain. Livy is forced to rethink the kidnapping's meaning, the possibility of changing the way people view animals, and ultimately the allure of Wallace's "truth" in forging his own ideas about life.

Thesis (M.A.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-62).

This thesis intends to investigate the ethics of captivity for zoological purposes and whether or not it is successful in contributing to conservation as it claims to. By studying the effects that current projects have on animals and visitors alike, I hope to fi nd a new way in which zoos can be benefi cial to the environment by infl uencing and educating the public on conservation. Architecture, in the past, has shaped the way that captive animals live out their lives. Animal captivity can be traced back to hunter-gatherer domestication, Egyptian Pharaohs being buried with animals and gladiators violently battling animals to the death to entertain the viewers. Following these ancient practices, life for captive animals continued to be dismal. Countries around the world collected and bartered exotic animals through world fairs and menageries in order to boast their unique cultures to lesser societies. In the future, architecture has the potential to infl uence the welfare of animals as well as bring light to new ways of observing animals and their habitats. Whether the site is chosen within the state of Louisiana, or is non-site specifi c and is instead a network of worldwide zoological centers, this project aims to open a discussion about the ethics of captivity for the sake of animals’ betterment. Programmatically, observation components will work along side rehabilitation typologies to create a more natural and humane zoological model. / 0 / SPK / specialcollections@tulane.edu

This study seeks to understand the development of early American ideas of race, religion, and gender as reflected in Indian and Barbary captivity narratives (tales of individuals taken captive by privateers in North Africa) and in plays that take American captives as their subject. Writers of both Indian and Barbary captivity narratives used racial and religious language – references to Indians and North Africans as demonic, physically monstrous, and animal – simultaneously to delineate Native American and North African otherness. The narrative writers reserved particular scorn for the figure of the Renegade – the willful cultural convert who chose to live among the Native Americans or adopt Islam and live among his North African captors. The narratives, too, reflect Early American gendered norms by defining the role of men as heads of household and women’s protectors, and by defining women by their status as dutiful wives and mothers. Furthermore, the narratives carefully treat the figure of the female captive with particular care – resisting implications of captive rape, even while describing graphic scenes of physical torture, and denying the possibility of willful transcultural sexual relationships.

Research into the social behaviour of wild animals living in groups has demonstrated the importance of social structure dynamics and their consequences for an individual’s fitness. Many aspects of animal behaviour and ecology, including interactions with conspecifics, habitat use and willingness to take risks, can be a reflection of personality. One of the key concerns of captive animal husbandry is the social environment, as it is regularly modified and can shape the social behaviour of the animals in question in different ways. In this thesis I explore how meerkat, Suricata suricatta, social dynamics and individual positions may differ between wild and captive groups; I explore personality in the context of social networks and, lastly, I explore how physical and husbandry factors vary across enclosures and how this corresponds to a variation in the social structure of meerkats. Differences were found between the fifteen groups of captive meerkats when considering association networks based on foraging and resting. Some of these differences could be explained by intrinsic differences between the groups. An individual’s position within a network as described by their centrality and closeness measures could be predicted by their age and status, but rarely by their sex. I did not detect consistent patterns of non-random assortment amongst group members based on their sex, age or status. Groups of wild and captive meerkats differed in various aspects of their social network structure. Such differences may be due to individuals occupying different network positions and the difference in their number and strength of their connections to other individuals. This distinct way of interacting and associating could be a result of group specific attributes, such as group size, and/or the attributes of the donor and recipient, including sex, status or age. Critically, the differences may be explained by the dissimilar living environment that each encounters. The current results suggest that a meerkat social network in captive conditions can be less consistent than in their wild environment in the way they associate with one another, and in the manner they occupy particular positions in the network. Principal component analysis of the four personality traits revealed two personality dimensions, Friendliness and Aggressiveness, across the fifteen groups of meerkats. However, within a subset of my data (five groups), Friendliness was the only measure that robustly captured consistent individual differences across at least one year. A relationship was not found between attributes and personality dimensions due to age, status, and sex. Individuals with high Friendliness scores were more central in networks of foraging competitions. Aggressiveness did not explain an individual’s position in any form of interaction. There was no evidence that meerkats preferentially associated with or avoid others based on each of their personality scores. A relationship was found in the way animals associate with one another in the resting network based on the size and complexity of the enclosure and the type of shelter. Individuals were less likely to associate with others of the same sex or dominance status in enclosures that were larger or more complex. All the six external measures (the size and complexity of the enclosure, the type of barrier and day shelter, environmental enrichment frequency and human contact) influenced how individuals interacted with other group members within grooming, playing and dominance networks. In general, it seems to be that the key features to address in meerkat management in zoos are those of enclosure size and complexity (and perhaps provision of adequate shelters). Providing captive meerkats with more naturalistic and complex enclosures can help to preserve their natural social system.

In this study, 12 dholes (Cuon alpinus) at Kolmården Wildlife Park were observed to investigate how they use their enclosure and if they tend to share space with each other. Using scan sampling for every five minutes, the location of the dholes was marked on a hand drawn map with 14 zones. The study lasted for a total of 72 observation hours during three weeks.  The results showed that the dholes had marked preferences for certain zones. Within the zones, attractive areas, so-called hotspots, were found. A hotspot includes the majority of the markings in the zones. The number of observations ranged from 1341 in the most popular zone to 71 in the least popular. Comparisons between data for mornings vs. afternoon and feeding days vs. non-feeding days showed no obvious differences in utilization of the zones. Two frequently used pathways through the enclosure were found. Finally, the results showed that the dholes have a tendency to share space with each other.