Environmental enrichment (EE) can significantly improve the welfare and health of captive animals. Despite the known benefits of EE, there has been a lack of research on the effects of EE devices (EED) for wild animals. Here, we quantified the time loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in a rehabilitation center spent interacting with EEDs, specifically brushes and sheltering objects. We found turtles spent up to 50% of their time interacting with EEDs and demonstrated a preference to rest under sheltering objects (assisted resting), when compared with the open. Based on these findings, we propose the inclusion of brushes and sheltering objects as low-cost EEDs for improving the welfare of sea turtles in captivity.
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17 January 2024
Brushes and Shelters as Low-Cost Environmental Enrichment Devices for Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) During Rehabilitation
Jessica Harvey-Carroll,
Jose-Luis Crespo-Picazo,
Mariana Saubidet,
Nathan J. Robinson,
Daniel García-Párraga,
David March
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assisted resting
enrichment
environmental enrichment devices
Loggerhead turtle
preference testing
welfare
