Date of Award
Summer 8-2-2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Liv Baker Van de Graaff
Second Advisor
Ofer Tchernichovski
Academic Program Adviser
Diana Reiss
Abstract
Cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus) are among the most common species found in aquaria, yet the impact of touch enclosures on their welfare remains largely unknown. While research on animal-visitor interactions has produced mixed results for other species, the lack of studies focusing on fish welfare poses a risk of overlooking potential welfare concerns. Therefore, we aimed to establish a baseline for cownose rays regarding stereotypic behaviors, sociality, and activity in captivity, and to examine the influence of human interaction on these behaviors. We collected over 700 hours of footage from two enclosures at Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ and coded over 1,000 event sets. The enclosures studied were a highly trafficked touch pool and an off-exhibit enclosure occasionally used for brief swim-through guest experiences. We found significant differences between the two enclosures. Rays in the touch pool exhibited significantly lower levels of stereotypic behaviors and higher levels of sociality and activity compared to those in the off-exhibit enclosure. Rays in the off-exhibit enclosure displayed a circadian rhythm, in regard to both activity and stereotypic behavior, with a single peak coinciding with feeding time. In contrast, rays in the touch pool were consistently more active and showed little rhythmic behavior. While resting behavior has not been recorded in wild cownose rays, it is likely that a circadian pattern with overall high activity is most typical for the species. The effect of people on the rays in the touch pool was small but significant, generally having a positive impact. These rays exhibited more social and fewer stereotypic behaviors in the presence of people. However, they also reduced contact with the edge of the enclosure, and evidence suggests that beyond a certain guest count, the positive effects start to reverse. This indicates that while human interaction may be enriching for cownose rays, it is not consistently desirable. The data suggests that the major factor underpinning the differences between and within enclosures is the presence or absence of food-based enrichment that guests provide to the rays in the form of hand-feeding. This underscores a need for the implementation of more behaviorally enriching husbandry practices.
Recommended Citation
Newman, Wren C. A., "The Effects of People, Time of Day, and Season on Affiliative and Stereotypic Behaviors in Captive Rhinoptera bonasus and Other Rays Across Two Human-Interactive Enclosures" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1231
Included in
Animal Studies Commons, Behavior and Ethology Commons, Biology Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Psychology Commons, Zoology Commons