From data to decisions: Exploring common challenges faced in behavioural monitoring programmes

Abstract

Many accredited zoos and aquariums aspire to provide evidence-based animal care. Systematically recording animal behaviour, the most direct and practical form of evidence for evaluating animal welfare, can be a valuable tool for this. However, challenges in using behaviour data to inform decisions may limit the potential impact of these efforts and has not yet been explored in zoos and aquariums. In this pilot study, three independent surveys investigated the challenges zoo professionals face in developing behaviour monitoring programmes and successfully utilising the resulting data. This included a survey of staff at zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and two surveys of users of a behaviour-recording app. The survey of AZA-accredited organisations revealed that roughly half conducted formal behaviour observations and for those organisations, general behaviour monitoring was one of the most common processes for recording animal behaviour. The surveys highlighted a general pattern with later phases of analysing data, informing actions and evaluating actions ranking as relatively more challenging than earlier phases of designing projects, training observers and recording data. In considering various factors that could contribute to these challenges, such as staff motivation and skills, evidence of past successes, equipment availability and trust in data, this study found all factors were challenging to some organisations. This confirms the inherent challenges many organisations face in using data which are likely not unique to zoos and aquariums; there may be insights to be gained from research in other industries. To maximise the impact of their behaviour monitoring efforts in enhancing animal wellbeing, zoos and aquariums are encouraged to pay greater attention to the challenges associated with using data.