5 results on '"Lance J. Miller"'
Search Results
2. GPS technology as a proxy tool for determining relationships in social animals: An example with African elephants
- Author
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Lance J. Miller, Charlotte E. Hacker, and Kristina M. Horback
- Subjects
Communication ,Evening ,business.industry ,Animal husbandry ,Social relation ,Social group ,Food Animals ,Global Positioning System ,Social animal ,Animal Science and Zoology ,business ,Psychology ,Sociality ,Demography ,Morning - Abstract
The potential application of GPS technology in determining relationships among social animals was addressed in this study of eight African elephants residing at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA, USA between 2009 and 2011. GPS coordinates were collected over nine 24 h periods from eight different elephants. The average distances between individuals were then calculated for the morning, afternoon and evening time periods as well as for the entire 24 h. Behavioral data were collected to calculate rates of both positive and negative interactions between elephants as well as David's scores to measure sociality. Lastly, input from the management staff regarding the elephants’ social relations was utilized to determine pairs who may display high levels of social proximity as well as the construction of a dominance structure. Significant correlations were found between the social relations determined by animal management staff and the GPS morning data (r = −0.431, P = 0.022), the social relations determined by animal management staff and the GPS daily data (r = −0.401, P = 0.034), the corrected David's scores and the GPS daily data (r = 0.471, P = 0.012), the early time period (r = 0.614, P = 0.001), the morning time period (r = 0.441, P = 0.020) and the afternoon time period (r = 0.474, P = 0.012) and the rate of positive social interactions and the GPS evening data (r = −0.386, P = 0.042). These results suggest that GPS technology can be used as a proxy tool in determining social relationships. GPS devices can aid in animal behavior research by eliminating the need for an observer and thereby relieving time and staff restraints. Planning the daily management of animals around their known social groups can potentially increase overall animal welfare and safety for caretakers. For example, keeping the animals in their known social groups could decrease stress and the potential for aggressive behavior during training, transport, shifting of individuals or groups between exhibits, and general husbandry.
- Published
- 2015
3. Personality assessment in African elephants (Loxodonta africana): Comparing the temporal stability of ethological coding versus trait rating
- Author
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Lance J. Miller, Kristina M. Horback, and Stan A. Kuczaj
- Subjects
Coping (psychology) ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Construct validity ,Personality psychology ,Developmental psychology ,Food Animals ,Trait ,Personality ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Temperament ,Personality Assessment Inventory ,Big Five personality traits ,Psychology ,media_common - Abstract
a b s t r a c t The consistency of personality assessment was addressed in this study of 12 zoological African elephants living at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, CA, USA during the 2010 and 2011 summer seasons. Using 480 h of observational behavior data, three personality traits were determined based on behavior events, with the most significant correlations (two-tailed rs > 0.77, P 0.72, P < 0.005): playful, observant, shy and confident. All seven personality traits correlated significantly (P < 0.05) from 2010 to 2011 for each indi- vidual elephant, demonstrating temporal stability. Additionally, the coded playful trait was correlated significantly (P < 0.01) to the rated trait playful, demonstrating construct validity and cross-method consistency. These results suggest that humans have the ability to dis- criminate zoo elephant personalities reliably and accurately. This, therefore, suggests that rating of zoo elephant personalities by caretakers with extensive knowledge of the species' behavioral repertoire may be a valid proxy for long-term behavioral monitoring. Person- ality assessments may allow animal caretakers to identify appropriate roles for certain individuals (i.e., social compatibility, operant training, and transport to another facility), aid the individualization of environmental enrichment, and provide vital predictors of coping ability (i.e., stress response/resiliency).
- Published
- 2013
4. The effects of GPS collars on African elephant (Loxodonta africana) behavior at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park
- Author
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Jeff Andrews, Stanley Abraham Kuczaj, Lance J. Miller, Matthew J. Anderson, and Kristina M. Horback
- Subjects
Observation time ,Veterinary medicine ,Evening ,medicine.medical_treatment ,Animal-assisted therapy ,Biology ,Human animal bond ,African elephant ,Pet therapy ,Behavioral data ,Food Animals ,biology.animal ,medicine ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Morning - Abstract
a b s t r a c t The use of tracking devices (e.g., VHF radio collars, GPS collars, ear transmitters) enables researchers to assess activity budgets, species-specific movement patterns, effects of envi- ronmental enrichment, and exercise levels in zoo animals. The fundamental assumption in these studies of tagged animals is that attachable tracking devices have negligible effects on the animals' behavior. The present study examined solitary and social behavior rates, as well as overall activity budgets, in eight African elephants living at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido, CA, USA. Each elephant was trained over several months to wear leather collars affixed with GPS units encased in watertight plastic containers. Behavioral data col- lected while the GPS collars were worn (16 daylight hours, 16 night hours) were compared to behavioral data when the GPS collars were not worn (16 daylight hours, 16 night hours) throughout June and July 2010. No significant differences (P < 0.05) in behavior rates or average percent of observation time the subjects were recorded in particular states were found. During the morning hours, while the collars were both worn and not worn, feeding was the most common behavior state (M = 44.7 ± 3.8%, M = 49.3 ± 15.3%), followed by res- ting (M = 35.5 ± 10%, M = 37.3 ± 12%) and walking (M = 10 ± 3.1%, M = 8.7 ± 1.9%). During the evening hours, feeding remained the most common behavior state for both worn and not worn conditions (M = 66.1 ± 12.3%, M = 63.3 ± 13.7%), followed by resting (M = 17.6 ± 7.7%, M = 19.4 ± 9.5%), and sleeping (M = 8.1 ± 8.9%, M = 7.8 ± 8.1%). This distribution of daily behavior state is similar to previous activity budgets examined in other zoo elephant herds. These results suggest that, with adequate training, GPS collars may have minimal impact on the behavior of zoo elephants.
- Published
- 2012
5. Regurgitation and reingestion in bonobos (Pan paniscus): Relationships between abnormal and social behavior
- Author
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Jennifer R. Tobey and Lance J. Miller
- Subjects
biology ,Aggression ,Bonobo ,biology.organism_classification ,Positive correlation ,Developmental psychology ,Pan paniscus ,Pet therapy ,Animal management ,Food Animals ,Regurgitation (digestion) ,medicine ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Abnormality ,medicine.symptom ,Psychology ,Demography - Abstract
Regurgitation and reingestion (R/R) is an abnormal behavior observed in great apes analogous to rumination syndrome in humans. A majority of the research on R/R in non-human primates has focused on gorillas and chimpanzees with little information relating to other species that also engage in this behavior. In addition, studies on R/R in non-human primates have primarily focused on diet with little information on other potential causes for this abnormal behavior. The purpose of the current study was to examine R/R in 14 bonobos ( Pan paniscus ) at two zoological institutions. This included examining the relationships between R/R and other bonobo behaviors as well as the effect of a change in social groupings on R/R. On average, bonobos engaged in R/R about 3.07% of the time and there were no significant differences found in relation to sex ( P =0.190), rearing history ( P =0.414) or age ( r s =0.254, P =0.381). There was a positive correlation between R/R and aggressive behavior ( r s =0.579, P r s =−0.643, P r s =−0.895, P
- Published
- 2012
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