Georgia Mason – författare

This 2nd edition is a complete re-write of the 1st edition in 1993. It reflects developments in knowledge since the 1st edition and includes many new chapters and contributors. Concern over the welfare of confined animals is continuing to increase and extends not only to farm and zoo animals, but also to laboratory and companion animals. This book focuses on environmentally induced stereotypes, rather than drug induced or neurologically based stereotypes and discusses why captive animals perform these stereotypes. It also examines what this behaviour can tell us about animal welfare, options for prevention and cure and assesses future research directions and implications for animal welfare.

This second edition is a complete re-write of the 1st edition published in 1993 (editors Lawrence and Rushen). It reflects many recent advances, bringing together all new chapters and over 30 contributors. Abnormal behaviour patterns, from the jumping and somersaulting of caged laboratory mice to the pacing of enclosed 'big cats', are displayed by many millions of farm, zoo, research and companion animals. This book focuses on the causation and treatment of these environment-induced stereotypic behaviours, and their implications for animal welfare and normalcy of brain functioning. The first section takes an ethological perspective, focusing on the constraints captivity places on animals' normal behavioural repertoires, and the effects these have on specific motivational systems. The second section addresses the role of dysfunction, particularly the impact of chronic stress and impoverished environments on brain functioning. The third section looks at how stereotypic behaviours can be tackled, once they have emerged, using diverse techniques from environmental enrichment to pharmaceutical intervention. The volume ends with a synthesis, a suggested new definition for 'stereotypic behaviour', and a discussion of future research directions. This book will be of significant interest to researchers and advanced students in animal behaviour and welfare, animal and veterinary science, comparative psychology, and neuroscience.