BRPI0901722B1 - ROTARY LINES APPLIANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT - Google Patents

Abstract

rotating link apparatus for environmental enrichment. the present application for a patent refers to a rotating link device idealized for environmental enrichment, based on the presentation of physical stimulus (locomotion) the device is made of 12 inch pvc tube (3 rings 20cm wide), stainless steel 22 (3 strips of 6x100cm), metal chains (cast iron) to support and facilitate access to the appliance from the floor (in the case of infants) measuring 80cm and 2 metallic devices (carabiners) to perform the rotation between the pvc rings , independently, made of galvanized wire. the apparatus comprises rotating links and a twisting part disposed between the rotating links. this torsion piece (which resembles a distorter used in fishing) allows animals to rotate the links in opposite directions or even remain static while another animal plays above or below the link in which it is.

Description

ROTARY LINES APPLIANCE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENRICHMENT Application field

The present patent application refers to a rotating link device designed for environmental enrichment based on the presentation of physical stimulus (locomotion).

State of the Art Fundamentals

Sociability is a fundamental characteristic of non-human primates, where complex relationships between individuals and different strata of their social organization occur.

In the case of captive animals, several studies have shown that these individuals should receive greater attention regarding the environment, which are often discouraging to their occupants, not considering the spatial use and the break of monotony, which can and will increase the stimulus, positively reinforcing the social interaction between the group members.

In order to provide more quality of life to captivity, environmental enrichment is carried out. Environmental enrichment is defined as the principle of animal management that seeks to improve the quality of life of captive animals, using environmental stimuli necessary for their psychological and physiological well-being. [SHEPHERDSON, D. J. Tracing the path 'of environmental enrichment in zoos. In :. SHEPHERDSON, D. J .; MELLEN, J. D .; HUTCHINS, M. (Eds.) Second Nature: environmental enrichment for captive animals. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. p. 01-12.]

Examples of patents granted for methods or devices used in the environmental enrichment of animals are: US7,044,082, US5,826,545, US5,343,828, US5,247,901 and US5,036,795, among others.

Environmental enrichment can be of four types; which are: physical, cognitive, food or social.

Physical enrichment, which aims to make the enclosures more similar to the natural habitat. For that, distraction objects are placed, for example, perches and ropes for birds, tanks for hippos or branches in the enclosures of monkeys, among other examples.

Cognitive enrichment aims to awaken the animal's intellectual capacity and involves challenging situations with rewarding consequences.

Food enrichment consists of promoting variations in animal feed. captives, making it difficult for animals to obtain food. Such enrichments promote a more natural form of food supply, presenting it in its natural size and its real difficulties as peel, core and, when possible, still attached to the branches and stems of the fruit offered, that is, to the natural supply of the product. food brings with it a challenge or a natural problem for food consumption.

Social enrichment consists of sheltering animals together with others of the same or different species.

Thus, we saw that confinement can cause environmental impoverishment in several ways. Several strategies have been used to enrich captive environments. For example, the use of sawdust mixed with grains on the floor of the cage has reduced the aggressive behavior in a group of primates of the genus Macaca. Some objects such as rigid plastic balls were used as environmental enrichment for chimpanzees, proving to be valuable in encouraging physical activities, fighting boredom and obesity in captive animals. Another known example for environmental enrichment is the use of a foraging / scavenging board to reduce abnormal behavior levels in Rhesus monkeys kept in isolation. Various tools can be used, for example, PVC tubes, rigid plastic balls, bamboo, toy mice, frozen fruits, sticks, grass and dried leaves, ropes, plastic bottles.

It happens that the devices and methods known in the state of the art are adaptations of devices developed for activities other than the environmental enrichment of captive animals, in view of the lack of supply of this type of device on the market. Furthermore, these devices, for the most part, do not meet the animal safety requirement.

Thus, there is a need in the art for devices developed especially for the environmental enrichment of animals.

Summary of the Invention

The present patent application deals with a device comprising rotating links designed for environmental enrichment based on the presentation of physical stimulus (locomotion) in captive animals.

The device has a set of 3 (three) rotating links, allowing the use of the device by 3 or more animals, regardless of age or hierarchical position in the social group. More links can be used, however, it is recommended that only 3 links be used as a safety measure for animals.

The rotating link apparatus also has a torsion part arranged between the rotating links. This twist piece allows the animals to rotate the links in opposite directions or even remain static while another animal plays above or below the link in which it is. The device contains metal chains (cast iron) for support and facilitation. One of the metal chains is attached to the lower rotating link to support the device and assist children's animals in accessing the floor. The other metal chain is attached to the upper rotating link so that the device can be fixed to points on the ceiling of the animal's housing.

Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows the result of the interaction by age group with the devices, installed in the enclosure.
Figure 2 shows the relationship of the stimuli offered to adult animals.
Figure 3 shows the relation of the stimuli offered to the suckling animals. '
Figure 4 shows the result of the comparative analysis by age group in relation to the stimuli offered.
Figure 5 shows an embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention in its complete form.
Figure 6 shows in a larger scale the details A and B of Figure 5.
Figure 7 shows another embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.
Figure 8 shows in a larger scale the detail C of Figure 7.

Detailed Description

For a better understanding of the functional improvement achieved with the device described here, the present utility model will be described based on examples.

Materials and methods

Animals: A homogeneous social group of Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) was selected, coming from the Department of Primatology (Deprim) of the Center for the Creation of Laboratory Animals (Cecal) of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz). The formation of the group followed the breeding program established by Deprim, where females of the same generation were separated (1998). The animals belonged to different families and the group consisted of a male (8 years), ten females (4.5 years, 6 primiparous and 3 nulliparous) and six children (7-8 months).

Animal management

The animals were fed twice a day. In the morning (between 8:00 am and 9:00 am), they received commercial pelleted feed provided ad libitum and in the afternoon (between 2:00 pm and 3:00 pm), they received a diet composed of fresh produce, following a previously established program regarding the items and quantity supplied to each group of animals. The water, previously filtered, was supplied through automatic drinking fountains.

The group was kept in a 62m2 area, 3.5m high, equipped with 3 perches, 1 branch, 1 polypropylene drum and 1 trunk, which serve as a substrate for the animals to accommodate themselves at different levels in the enclosure.

The cage has front, side and roof rails, in addition to an area called refuge, where animals can shelter in greater privacy when they feel the need to isolate themselves from other members, in addition to a cement floor with semi-rough finish. throughout the room. The refuge floor is covered with autoclaved wood shavings, which provides greater comfort to the animals.

Animal care procedures include daily inspections and, when necessary, intervention by the veterinary clinic team, in addition to the technical teams responsible for cleaning the enclosures and daily handling, as well as the maintenance of equipment and facilities.

Behavioral Observation

The present experiment was divided into two stages: elaboration of the behavioral repertoire (etogram) of the group and offer of the devices and their changes in the environment.

A total of 110 hours of observation was performed by a single observer.

In the 10-day period, 11 observation sessions / day were carried out. For each hour, in the first 15 minutes, behavioral data was entered in a field worksheet. In an interval of 3 minutes, the reading was performed individually, obeying the One-Time Instant Scan method.

Materials Used for Clothing Device 1

Made in 12-inch PVC tube (3 rings of 20cm wide), stainless steel 22 (3 straps of 6xl00cm), metal chains (cast iron) to support and facilitate access to the device from the floor (in the case of infants) measuring 80cm and 2 metallic devices (carabiners) to perform the rotation between the PVC rings, of. independently, made of galvanized wire.

Device 2

Made in 1 ½-inch PVC tube with plugs at the ends, being placed in equidistant lines of 20 cm and of different sizes, they were installed from the largest to the smallest, from top to bottom, once the device is installed vertically. The device also has a nylon plate measuring 2x9x2Ocm, where the PVC tubes are attached, in addition to the metal chains that support the device and assist children in accessing the floor.

Device 3

Made of PVC and nylon plates, using ½ inch PVC tube, measuring 45cm, with plugs at the ends and a total of 6 pieces. The 2 nylon plates measured 100 cm and both were drilled for the installation of PVC tubes, in addition to metal chains that were installed at the ends of the appliance so that it could be fixed at two points on the ceiling of the cage, giving it a higher height. higher than the other devices, in addition to being the only one to be installed in a horizontal position. Access to the device was only possible through the ceiling.

The behavioral activities observed are listed in Table 1 in a summarized form, establishing in general the proposed categories.

The observer was positioned laterally, which provided him with a better view of the space, always obeying the distance of 3m from the enclosure. Observations started at 7:00 am and ended at 5:15 pm daily.

Results

Significant behavioral changes were observed when considering the frequency of use of the devices, as they interfered in quantity and quality in all the activities analyzed, with some even contrary to what was expected.

We tried to contrast the categories and their activities, because in view of the results obtained, it was possible to evaluate the intimate relationship between them.

The ingestive category was the one that reached the highest average among the groups of the group, however, there was a significant increase in the category of locomotion, being the second highest average and a preponderant factor in the increase of food intake due to the increased energy expenditure by the animals .

Although there was a predilection for adult animals in relation to device 3, it was found that infant animals showed a balance in the frequency of use of the 3 devices proposed, as shown in Figure 1.

The temperature check of the observed days was carried out from 7:00 am to 8:00 am, with an average of 20.2 ° C being obtained at this time.

In determining the frequencies with the three devices regarding the time of greatest use, it was observed that the animals (regardless of age group), interacted more actively between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM (16.6%) and at 14:00 PM (18.52%).

When statistically measuring the effects that occurred after the introduction of the devices, data were obtained that required an accurate interpretation, in view of the work proposal, regarding the increase in social interaction between the individuals in the group.

As an example, we have infants, who showed a 16.03% decrease in the social interaction category and an increase of 7.6% in the locomotion category.

Even when a child animal explores its environment without the company of another individual, this attitude is converted into learning, because in the future, this individual will be able to add new activities to its behavioral repertoire, changing the social dynamics of its group.

Therefore, when we consider that the younger animals exhibit more expressive learning behavior and because they also explore the total environment as part of this same learning, it is clear that these animals are subject to interact with any changes that occur in their environment more immediately. , incorporating such changes to their repertoire when compared to animals with older age.

In general, it was evident the greater interaction with the devices by the younger animals, clearly perceiving that the adult animals, observed the hierarchical scale and obeyed social behavioral patterns already established in the group.

As, for example, in situations of the use of some device, in which the individual who was on the hierarchical scale must give the device to the individual hierarchically above the assignor.

Such an attitude contributed to the occurrence of a lower frequency of the devices by the adult animals, as was demonstrated during the work (Figure 2).

It was observed that all the devices used in the experiment showed signs of bites, small grooves without, due to these wear, compromising for later use or even possible damage as to the hygiene performed after use.

work, having observed the need to only lubricate the bearings used, so that they did not show signs of rupture between the links, increasing their useful life.

Next, the devices shown in Figures 5 to 9 will be detailed.
Figure 5 shows the structure of the device with three PVC links or rings 2 and the stainless steel chain 4.
Figure 6 shows on a larger scale the details A and B of Figure 5. The reference number 6 represents the metal chain and the reference number 8 represents the steel belt.

Thus, as described above, the apparatus of the present invention is made of PVC tube (3 rings), stainless steel, metal chains (cast iron) to support and facilitate access to the apparatus from the floor (in the case of infants) and 2 devices (carabiners) to independently rotate between the PVC rings, made of galvanized wire. The apparatus comprises rotating links and a torsion piece arranged between the rotating links. This torsion piece (which resembles a distorter used in fishing) allows animals to rotate the links in opposite directions or even remain static while another animal plays above or below the link in which it is.

In view of the above, the apparatus described here provides welfare to the animals that are being raised or maintained for experimental purposes. It is important to emphasize that animal welfare is of paramount importance not only from the point of view of the animal but also from science. Thus, the contribution of the present invention has the advantage of improving the quality of life of animals kept in captivity and enhancing the ethical use of these animals.

Claims (1)

Rotary link apparatus for environmental enrichment characterized by comprising:
a set of at least three rotating links (2); a torsion piece (carabiner) (c) disposed between the rotating links;
metal chains to support and facilitate access (6), where
(i) one of the metal chains is attached to the lower rotating link;
(ii) the other metallic chain is attached to the upper rotating link.

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