Our 2023 conference, Preserving Our Breeds: Preparing for the Looming Dog Shortage, kicks off this evening in the city that gave NAIA its start: Portland, Oregon!
We have a fantastic lineup of presentations and workshops that will inform and empower you with the latest news and tools on canine reproduction, health, behavior, DNA tests, and more. We can't wait to see you there!
We are taught to be polite and open-minded about things that might seem extremely different or even "disgusting," but in the animal world, disgust can provide significant advantages. Researchers are discovering that many social animals have a "disgust" reaction to adverse situations regarding food, negative environmental stimuli, and behaviors that helps them avoid disease. When you think about it, it makes sense: typically associated with aversion towards potentially harmful or contaminated substances, disgust serves as a protective mechanism to avoid ingestion of toxic or spoiled food.
It's important to note that while animals can display behaviors similar to disgust, they may not experience the emotion in the same way humans do. The subjective experience of disgust, with its accompanying complex cognitive and emotional components, is difficult to measure or fully understand in animals.
By studying these reactions, researchers gain insights into the cognitive abilities and adaptive functions of different animals, as well as the evolutionary origins and ecological significance of disgust-related behaviors in the animal kingdom.
In the study of species behavior, elephants shone as the true "people pachyderms."
People who work closely with elephants in captivity will tell you that elephants enjoy social interactions with their caretakers and the public – and now we have the science to back it up!
Animal behavior research out of Nottingham Trent University studying zoo visitors' impact on the behavior of various species shows that for many, indications of boredom decreased during times when public interactions were held or when there was increased visitor traffic. Elephants, especially, seemed to enjoy having people around. Some species did not appreciate visitors so much, a response that can typically be attributed to the species' natural history (e.g. animals that are from secluded ecosystems or nocturnal might not have the same positive reaction to people).
It is also important to note how our understanding of and ability to "measure" animal welfare has improved over time – and with that exhibit design. This research follows the data collected during the pandemic, which showed a marked decrease in activity across species. Hopefully, these findings help bring people and animals even closer together in public interactions that benefit both parties.
