麻豆淫院

Training animals in captivity is extraordinarily challenging due to a host of factors such as an animal's natural temperament and prior negative experiences with humans. But it is often essential in places like zoos and conservation centers because animals need routine checkups and veterinary care. In a study of 12 red brocket deer (Mazama americana) in Brazil, scientists found that calm deer were much easier to train for medical procedures than restless or agitated deer.

Red brocket deer are medium-sized deer native to the South American forests. These shy, often solitary animals are sometimes kept in conservation centers to protect their numbers. Restraining them for checkups is risky as it usually involves nets or darts, which can cause stress and injury. Behavioral approaches are preferred, such as using rewards to teach them to cooperate. But for this to be effective, trainers ideally need to know an individual deer's reactivity, that is the intensity and speed of its natural responses to a stimulus, like a human presence.

In their experiment to evaluate this link between temperament and trainability, the research team set up several tests. First, they scored each animal on its behavior when an unfamiliar person approached and tried to touch it, and again, when it was moved into a handling area. Once in the handling area, the deer were scored on how much they struggled when a handler gently touched their hindquarters.

Next, the trainers focused on getting the animals calm in the trainer's presence. This involved the trainer talking to the deer, calling it by name and offering banana pieces. This continued until the deer was settled and voluntarily approached the handler. Nine deer that completed this went on to an advanced phase, which involved using rewards to teach them to respond to commands such as "come," "snout" and "spray."

The team discovered that the best deer students were naturally less reactive (calm and willing to approach an unfamiliar trainer) and learned the fastest. Deer that were naturally highly reactive (restless or agitated) struggled to get used to the trainer's presence. These deer did not progress to learning commands.

"Reactivity plays a vital role in how animals respond to training, suggesting that management strategies should be tailored to individual behavioral traits to optimize conditioning outcomes," wrote the researchers in their paper in the journal PLOS One.

Understanding the importance of individual reactivity can help inform training protocols for deer and other animals. The study clearly showed that a one-size-fits-all approach won't work. Instead, it supports using personalized strategies. For example, if a deer is known to have a more agitated temperament, trainers can use a much more patient, gradual approach to build trust. Adopting this practice, whether for deer or other species, can mean less stress for the animals and safer conditions for handlers.

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