Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences (ISSN: 2582-3183)

Research Article Volume 4 Issue 10

Keeper-Dragon Behavioural Differences in Two Komodo Dragon (Varanus Komodoensis) Brothers During Training

Giovanni Quintavalle Pastorino1, Yitzhak Yadid2, Daniele Pintus2, Massimiliano Di Giovanni2, Alice Cavalleri1, Richard F Preziosi2 and Anita Hashmi1,3*

1School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom

2Fondazione Bioparco di Roma, Rome, Italy

3Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom

*Corresponding Author: Anita Hashmi, School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom.

Received: September 08, 2022; Published: September 12, 2022

Abstract

Personality in non-human animals is a vast area of research, yet many papers focus on that of mammals or bird species. Many reptile species show complex behaviour but have been historically overlooked in favour of mammal and bird studies. Due to this, reptile species have frequently not received behavioural management such as enrichment, including through training within captive settings, despite their potential level of cognition. Training sessions prepare animals for situations such as routine veterinary procedures in addition to acting as enrichment. To assess the use of training sessions in reptiles, it is important to understand their cognitive and behavioural capabilities. This small pilot study acts as a case study, examining the personality and cognition of two Komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis) through video analysis of training sessions and personality questionnaires issued to zookeepers. We also assess the utility of personality questionnaires in a reptile species and the potential effect of intrinsic factors such as keeper personality and sex on their responses. The results display the plasticity of Komodo dragon behaviour and the utility of training through evidence of willing compliance with training regimes.

Keywords: Conservation; Enrichment; Komodo Dragons; Personality; Training

References

  1. Wilsson E and Sundgren P-E. “The use of a behaviour test for the selection of dogs for service and breeding, I: Method of testing and evaluating test results in the adult dog, demands on different kinds of service dogs, sex and breed differences”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science4 (1997): 279-295.
  2. Serpell JA and Hsu Y. “Development and validation of a novel method for evaluating behavior and temperament in guide dogs”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science4 (2001): 347-364.
  3. Duffy DL and Serpell JA. “Predictive validity of a method for evaluating temperament in young guide and service dogs”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science1 (2012): 99-109.
  4. Gold KC and Maple TL. “Personality assessment in the gorilla and its utility as a management tool”. Zoo Biology5 (1994): 509-522.
  5. Razal CB., et al. “Multifaceted approach to personality assessment in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)”. Animal Behavior and Cognition 3 (2016): 22-31.
  6. De Azevedo CS., et al. “Important tools for Amazon Parrot reintroduction programs”. Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 1 (2017): 1-11.
  7. Germano JM., et al. “Predicting translocation outcomes with personality for desert tortoises”. Behavioral Ecology 4 (2017): 1075-1084.
  8. Martin-Wintle MS., et al. “Do opposites attract? Effects of personality matching in breeding pairs of captive giant pandas on reproductive success”. Biological Conservation 207 (2017): 27-37.
  9. Allard S., et al. “Personality in Zoo-Hatched Blanding’s Turtles Affects Behavior and Survival After Reintroduction Into the Wild”. Frontiers in Psychology 2324 (2019).
  10. Quintavalle Pastorino G., et al. “Behavioural Profiles of Brown and Sloth Bears in Captivity”. Animals 5 (2017): 39.
  11. Tetley CL and O’Hara SJ. “Ratings of animal personality as a tool for improving the breeding, management and welfare of zoo mammals”. Animal Welfare 4 (2012).
  12. Gartner MC., et al. “Personality Structure in the Domestic Cat (Felis silvestris catus), Scottish Wildcat (Felis silvestris grampia), Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia), and African Lion (Panthera leo): A Comparative Study”. Journal of Comparative Psychology 4 (2014).
  13. Daigle CL., et al. “Multi-institutional survey of social, management, husbandry and environmental factors for the SSP African lion Panthera leo population: examining the effects of a breeding moratorium in relation to reproductive success”. International Zoo Yearbook 1 (2015): 198-213.
  14. Dunston EJ., et al. “Exploring African lion (Panthera leo) behavioural phenotypes: individual differences and correlations between sociality, boldness and behaviour”. Journal of Ethology 3 (2017): 277-290.
  15. Quintavalle Pastorino G., et al. “Role of personality in behavioral responses to new environments in captive Asiatic lions (Panthera leo persica)”. Veterinary Medicine International (2017): 6585380.
  16. Phillips C and Peck D. “The effects of personality of keepers and tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) on their behaviour in an interactive zoo exhibit”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science4 (2007): 244-258.
  17. Wang Q., et al. “Innate preference for native prey and personality implications in captive Amur tigers”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 210 (2019): 95-102.
  18. Naguib M., et al. “Noise annoys: effects of noise on breeding great tits depend on personality but not on noise characteristics”. Animal Behaviour 5 (2013): 949-956.
  19. Johnson KVA., et al. “Male great tits assort by personality during the breeding season”. Animal Behaviour 128 (2017): 21-32.
  20. Firth JA., et al. “Personality shapes pair bonding in a wild bird social system”. Nature Ecology and Evolution 11 (2018): 1696-1699.
  21. Quintavalle Pastorino G., et al. “Comparative personality traits assessment of three species of communally housed captive penguins”. Animals6 (2019): 376.
  22. Melfi V. “There are big gaps in our knowledge, and thus approach, to zoo animal welfare: a case for evidence-based zoo animal management”. Zoo Biology 28 (2009): 574-588.
  23. Moss A and Esson M. “Visitor interest in zoo animals and the implications for collection planning and zoo education programmes”. Zoo Biology6 (2010): 16.
  24. Binding S., et al. “Status of animal welfare research in zoos and aquariums: where are we, where to next?” Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research 3 (2020): 166-174.
  25. Stahl K., et al. “Evaluating conservation biology texts for bias in biodiversity representation”. PLoS One (2020).
  26. Courchamp F., et al. “The paradoxical extinction of the most charismatic animals”. PLoS One 16 (2018).
  27. Albert C., et al. “The twenty most charismatic species”. PLoS One (2018).
  28. Troudet J., et al. “Taxonomic bias in biodiversity data and societal preferences”. Scientific Reports 7 (2017): 9132.
  29. Burghardt GM. “Environmental enrichment and cognitive complexity in reptiles and amphibians: Concepts, review and implications for captive populations”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science3 (2013): 286-298.
  30. Moszuti SA., et al. “Response to novelty as an indicator of reptile welfare”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 193 (2017): 98-103.
  31. Böhm M., et al. “The conservation status of the world’s reptiles”. Biological Conservation 157 (2013): 372-385.
  32. Wilkinson A and Huber L. “Cold-blooded cognition: reptilian cognitive abilities”. In: The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Evolutionary Psychology. USA: Oxford University Press (2012).
  33. Plan ALSS. “Lion care manual”. Silver Spring, MD, USA (2012).
  34. Quintavalle Pastorino G., et al. “Investigating the behavior and personality structure of the Aldabra tortoise during human interactions and training events”. Animals 12 (2022).
  35. Waters RM., et al. “Personality and individuality in reptile behavior”. In: Personality in nonhuman animals. Cham: Springer International Publishing (2017): 153-184.
  36. Ariefiandy A., et al. “Evaluation of three field monitoring-density estimation protocols and their relevance to Komodo dragon conservation”. Biodiversity and Conservation 10 (2014): 2473-2490.
  37. World Conservation Monitoring Centre: Varanus komodoensis (1996).
  38. Auffenberg W. “Social and feeding behavior in Varanus komodoensis”. In: Behavior and Neurology of Lizards. Washington D.C., USA: Government Printing Office (1978): 301-331.
  39. Burghardt GM., et al. “Behavioral complexity, behavioral development, and play”. In: Komodo dragons. Biology and Conservation. Washington D.C., USA: Smithsonian Institution Press (2002): 77-116.
  40. Wielebnowski NC. “Behavioral differences as predictors of breeding status in captive cheetahs”. Zoo Biology4 (1999): 335-349.
  41. Powell DM and Svoke JT. “Novel environmental enrichment may provide a tool for rapid assessment of animal personality: A case study with giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)”. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 4 (2008): 301-318.
  42. Gartner MC and Powell D. “Personality assessment in snow leopards (Uncia uncia)”. Zoo Biology2 (2011).
  43. Williams E., et al. “Exploring the relationship between personality and social interactions in zoo-housed elephants: Incorporation of keeper expertise”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 221 (2019): 104876.
  44. Ward S and Melfi V. “The influence of stockmanship on the behaviour of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis)”. London, UK: BIAZA (2004).
  45. Waiblinger S., et al. “The relationship between attitudes, personal characteristics and behaviour of stockpeople and subsequent behaviour and production of dairy cows”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science3 (2002): 195-219.
  46. Hemsworth PH. “Human-animal interactions in livestock production”. Applied Animal Behaviour Science3 (2003): 185-198.
  47. Cole J and Fraser D. “Zoo animal welfare: The human dimension”. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 1 (2018): 49-58.
  48. Patel F., et al. “Using qualitative behaviour assessment to investigate human-animal relationships in zoo-housed giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis)”. Animals6 (2019): 381.

Citation

Citation: Anita Hashmi., et al. “Keeper-Dragon Behavioural Differences in Two Komodo Dragon (Varanus komodoensis) Brothers During Training". Acta Scientific Veterinary Sciences 4.10 (2022): 03-12.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2022 Anita Hashmi., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




Metrics

Acceptance rate35%
Acceptance to publication20-30 days
Impact Factor1.008

Indexed In





News and Events


  • Certification for Review
    Acta Scientific certifies the Editors/reviewers for their review done towards the assigned articles of the respective journals.
  • Submission Timeline for Upcoming Issue
    The last date for submission of articles for regular Issues is July 30, 2024.
  • Publication Certificate
    Authors will be issued a "Publication Certificate" as a mark of appreciation for publishing their work.
  • Best Article of the Issue
    The Editors will elect one Best Article after each issue release. The authors of this article will be provided with a certificate of "Best Article of the Issue"
  • Welcoming Article Submission
    Acta Scientific delightfully welcomes active researchers for submission of articles towards the upcoming issue of respective journals.

Contact US