OBJECT MANIPULATIONIN CAPTIVEPOLAR BEARS ALISONAMES, Universities Federationfor AnimalWelfare, 8 HamiltionClose, South Mimms, Potters Bar, Herts., EN6 3QD, England Abstract:Data, with special reference to objectmanipulation, were collected on 14 polarbears (Ursusmaritimus) held in 8 zoos in the British Isles. Morethan 1,200 hoursof observationswere collected from 1989 to 1991. Timescans were made at 5-minuteintervals and focal event samplingprovided information on objectselection, bout length, and behavior on land and in water. Analysesincluded individual and sex differencesin amount,frequency, and complexity of objectmanipulation. The male bears had higher levels of objectmanipulation overall, but 24%of the females'manipulative bouts were longer than those of the males. Boutfrequencies indicated an organizationaldifference between the sexes withall but 1 of the femaleshaving fewer sessions per hour. Responsesto a widerange of objectsand food itemswere recorded and categorized.Findings indicated that the behavioral repertoire of polarbears was morediverse than expected and that bears of all ages andboth sexes showeda high level of motivation,ability, and skill toward this kindof activity. Int. Conf. BearRes. and Manage.9(1):443-449 Polar bears manipulateobjects and substratesin their were providedby A.D.B. Rimmer, and funding for the environment (Perry 1966, Jonkel et al. 1972, Kiliaan project came from the Universities Federation for 1974, Larsen 1985). This type of behavior occurs Animal Welfare, an animal welfare fund raised from during hunting, foraging, and the constructionof dens the readersof the Mail On Sunday, Belfast Zoo, Bristol and daybeds. Having recently evolved from brown Zoo, Chester Zoo, Dublin Zoo, Edinburgh Zoo, and bears (Ursus arctos) (Kurtenand Anderson 1980), the Glasgow Zoo. polar bear has retainedthe manipulativeabilities which have allowed the genus Ursidus to expand and adaptto a wide variety of habitats. Adaptationsfor coping with MATERIALSAND METHODS seasonal availability of food have occurred both Fourteen captive polar bears (8 F, 6 M) were behaviorally and morphologically. In dietary terms, observed over a 2-year period starting in September North Americanbears have diversified such that a wide 1989. The bears were housed in 7 different zoo variety of foods are exploited. Spatial knowledge of exhibits locatedthroughout the British Isles. More than seasonal foods and the physical abilityto forage for and 1,300 hours of data were collected using instantaneous process complex food sources have been a key to sampling techniques (Altmann 1974), at 5-minute evolutionary success in a variety of species (Parkerand intervals. At each data point, the gross state, the Gibson 1977, Chanin 1985, Schullery 1986, Gurell posture or locomotion, the activity, and the proximity 1987, Stirling and Derocher 1991). to other cage mates were recorded for each individual The aim of this researchis to examine the ability and (Table 1). interest of captive polar bears toward object The past histories of the bears differed widely with manipulation. Providing the bears with a variety of some animals being captive born, some wild caught, objects raised several questions. With no adaptive and in the case of 1 individual, having spent many pressures in captivity will the bears voluntarilyperform years in a circus (Table 2). Most of the bears were this type of activity? Are there sexual, individual, or kept in male-female pairs, but 2 females lost their age-relateddifferences in the amountand complexity of partners, and a trio is kept in 1 zoo. In addition, the object manipulation?Should the provision of objects age, and thus reproductivestatus, varied a great deal become a welfare priority for organizations holding among individuals. The youngest bear was 8 and the bears in captivity? oldest 31. The 8 enclosures were all very different, yet If curiosity and investigative behavior are innate some aspects of the design were similar. The major aspects of the nature of bears, we would predict that feature of all of the enclosures was the use of concrete captive individuals would respond actively to object and rock for construction. In 3 exhibits there was provision. If so, bears that are denied such behavioral minimal vegetation and in these it was not intentional. opportunitiesmay be considered deprived. None of the enclosures had soil, trees, or any natural Special thanks are owed to Maggie Redshaw for substrates. continual support, organization, and supervisionof the Sets of observationswere collected over a period of polar bear project. I received helpful commentaryfrom at least 10 days to obtain representativedata on the T.B. Poole, R. Hubrecht, C. West, D.M. Richardson, animals' activities. The time spent on observations G. Law, and A.J.R. Bushby. A computerand software during each of these periods usually totalled 60 hours, 444 Int. Conf.Bear Res. and Manage.9(1) 1994 Table 1. Glossary of behaviors. GROSSSTATE Lift mouth: to raiseoff the groundby using the mouth. Active: awakeand movingabout the enclosureor performingan Carrymouth: to transportan objectwithin the mouth. activity. Toss: to projectan itemthrough the air fromthe mouth. Vigilant: alertbut not active. Lick: to pass the tongueover. Inactive: eyes closedand probably asleep. Bite: to sinkthe teethinto an object. Chew: to workthe jaws andteeth in orderto grind. Nudge nose: slightlymoving an item by pushingalong with the POSTUREOR LOCOMOTION nose. Lie: weightnot carriedon the feet, can be downon belly, side or Carry/wearhead: transportan item on topof thehead or aroundthe back. neck. Sit: headheld up andweight resting on frontpaws and rear. Rub head: pushthe headback and forth against an object. Stand: weightcarried on all 4 pawswhile remaining stationary. Hold down: pushan objectagainst the groundwith the paws. Walk: move alongon all 4 pawsat a moderaterate. Pushagainst side: holdingagainst a walland applying pressure with Run: move alongon all 4 pawsat a rapidrate, i.e. gallop. the paws. Climb: moveup, over, or onto a steepslope. Lift paws: raisean objectoff the groundwith paws. Bathe: in the waterwith no particularform of locomotion. Carry paws: transportan item by holdingbetween the paws or Swim: movingalong in the water. betweena paw andthe body. Pace: any locomotorstereotypy which is executedon land. Nudgepaw: slightlymove an itemby softlypushing it witha paw. Stereotypic swimming: any locomotor stereotypywhich is Bounceon: to repeatedlyjump up anddown on somethingwith the performedin the water. pawscoming in contactwith the object,and the hindlegs remaining on the ground. Scratchat: to scrapethe surfaceof an objectwith the claws. ACTIVITY Throw: lift an objectwith the forepawsand project it into the air. Look around: visuallyscanning the area,inside or outsideof the Hit: to strikean objectwith force. enclosure. Lie on: to putthe bodyon, over, or acrossan object. Watch: to look at or observea conspecific. Rub against: to pushthe bodyback and forth across an item. Feed Drink Manipulate: to handleor use objects. OBJECTHANDLING-ACTIONS WITH OBJECTS Groom: to cleanand keep fur andbody clean. Stack: to set 1 itemon top of another. Scratch: to scrapewith paws or claws, as to relieveitching. Include: to put 1 iteminside of another. Rub: to movebody, with pressure, along, over, or againsta surface. Incorporate: to manipulatemore than 1 objectat a time. Smell: olfactoryinvestigation of a conspecificor aninanimate object. Hoard: to collecta numberof itemstogether in 1 area. Scent: to smellthe air. Insert: to pushan objectinto a hole or gap. Defecate Urinate GAMES Tug-of-war: two or moreindividuals pull an objectback and forth PROXIMITY betweeneach other. andthen it. Contact: touchingeach other. Stalk: set an itemin position,back off, charge Arms reach: withina bear'sarm reach of eachother. Grapple: two or moreindividuals engaging in roughand tumble Body length: a bear'sbody lengthaway. play. or hit an item and then on it. Body length plus: morethan a body lengthapart. Retrieve: to throw away, jump Out of sight: out of visualcontact. OBJECTHANDLING-ACTIONS ON OBJECTS Hold mouth: to have or keep an objectbetween the teeth. OBJECTMANIPULATION IN CAPTIVE POLAR BEARS * Ames 445 Table 2. A list of the polar bears held in zoos in the British also providedto stimulateexploratory and manipulative Isles. activity. A wide range of objectsvarying in shape, size, andtexture were in orderto increasethe Wildor provided behavioral available. Identity Age Sex captiveborn Location opportunities Thewide geographical separation of theparticipating Nina 32 F CB Bristol zoos, andthe needto collectadequate blocks of dataon Misha 28 M W? Bristol the study animalsprior to enrichment,resulted in the Bonnie 10 F CB Chessington programbeing initiatedin a staggeredfashion. As a data were collectedand the enrichment Clyde 10 M CB Chessington consequence, programbegun at differenttimes of year at each zoo. Mandy 16 F W? Flamingoland At some zoos, events or features of current Marcus 16 M W? Flamingoland managementdelayed observations: at 1 zoo the male Sabrina 24 F CB Chester polar bear was housed with a brown bear while the femalereared her cub; at another,the maleand female Sally 29 F CB? Glasgow were separatedwhile the female rearedher cub in Winston 28 M W Glasgow anotherarea; 2 femaleswere dennedup during the Mercedes 11 F W Edinburgh wintermonths. Oneold, malebear died after the initial but beforethe effects of the intervention Barney 15 M CB Edinburgh observations, couldbe examined. Wash