Study on activity pattern and incidence of stereotypic behavior in captive tigers

The present study examined daytime behavior patterns of 19 captive tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) housed in Nandankanan Zoological Park, Odisha, India. Behavioral observations of 1254 hours were analyzed for target behaviors using instantaneous sampling and 1-minute sample periods. We found that these captive tigers spent about 23% of the daytime exhibiting stereotypic behavior, that is, pacing, with a biphasic peak at 10:00 to 11:00 am and 16:00 to 17:00 pm. The incidence of stereotypic pacing behavior appears high, warranting further investigation of the cause of this stereotypic behavior and whether an effect of behavioral enrichment is required for a better understanding of welfare implications on the animals.