PDF(Pubmed)
Abstract：
BACKGROUND: Considering animals as individuals and not as species is becoming increasingly essential to animal welfare management in captive settings. Recent studies on big cat personalities and coping strategies suggest personality can help big cats cope in their surroundings. Yet a large portion of the published literature focuses on understanding either the personality or stress physiology of big cats. Our research shows how integrating an improved understanding of the personality of big cats with stress physiology may enhance welfare, especially for endangered species like African lions. By using a wild cat personality checklist, this study compared the key personality dimensions of 22 African lions with its faecal glucocorticoids and assessed factors influencing their personality and stress physiology.
RESULTS: We found two reliable personality dimensions for African lions (dominance and agreeableness) and identified key factors (sex, age and location) that may influence their personality. Further, on testing if these factors influenced the stress physiology through variations in glucocorticoid levels, there was no significant difference. However, there was a strong negative association between agreeableness and glucocorticoid levels. These results suggest that the behavioural traits loading positively and higher for agreeableness are associated with lower glucocorticoid stress levels, which may assist a lion to cope with stressors in its surroundings.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight this integrated approach of linking personality and stress physiology of big cats can be beneficial for caretakers. For example, during stressful veterinary procedures or in reintroduction programs, recognizing the personality of lions can help in designing or providing them with resources that will alleviate stress. Thus, there is a need for more interdisciplinary approaches that will contribute towards enhancing the individual and overall welfare of big cats.
RESULTS: We found two reliable personality dimensions for African lions (dominance and agreeableness) and identified key factors (sex, age and location) that may influence their personality. Further, on testing if these factors influenced the stress physiology through variations in glucocorticoid levels, there was no significant difference. However, there was a strong negative association between agreeableness and glucocorticoid levels. These results suggest that the behavioural traits loading positively and higher for agreeableness are associated with lower glucocorticoid stress levels, which may assist a lion to cope with stressors in its surroundings.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight this integrated approach of linking personality and stress physiology of big cats can be beneficial for caretakers. For example, during stressful veterinary procedures or in reintroduction programs, recognizing the personality of lions can help in designing or providing them with resources that will alleviate stress. Thus, there is a need for more interdisciplinary approaches that will contribute towards enhancing the individual and overall welfare of big cats.
摘要：
背景：将动物视为个体而不是物种，对于圈养环境中的动物福利管理变得越来越重要。最近对大猫性格和应对策略的研究表明，性格可以帮助大猫应对周围环境。然而，大部分已发表的文献都集中在了解大型猫科动物的个性或压力生理。我们的研究表明，将对大型猫科动物人格的更好理解与压力生理学相结合可能会增强福利，尤其是像非洲狮子这样的濒危物种。通过使用野猫性格清单，这项研究比较了22只非洲狮子与其粪便糖皮质激素的关键人格维度，并评估了影响其人格和应激生理的因素。
结果：我们发现了非洲狮子的两个可靠的人格维度（优势和随和），并确定了关键因素（性别，年龄和位置)可能会影响他们的个性。Further,在测试这些因素是否通过糖皮质激素水平的变化影响应激生理，差异无统计学意义。然而,同意性与糖皮质激素水平之间存在很强的负相关性.这些结果表明，积极的行为特征负荷和较高的一致性与较低的糖皮质激素应激水平有关。这可以帮助狮子应对周围环境的压力。
结论：我们的发现强调了这种将大型猫科动物的个性和压力生理联系起来的综合方法可能对看护者有益。例如,在紧张的兽医程序或重新引入计划中，认识到狮子的个性可以帮助设计或为它们提供减轻压力的资源。因此，需要更多的跨学科方法，这将有助于提高大型猫科动物的个人和整体福利。
结果：我们发现了非洲狮子的两个可靠的人格维度（优势和随和），并确定了关键因素（性别，年龄和位置)可能会影响他们的个性。Further,在测试这些因素是否通过糖皮质激素水平的变化影响应激生理，差异无统计学意义。然而,同意性与糖皮质激素水平之间存在很强的负相关性.这些结果表明，积极的行为特征负荷和较高的一致性与较低的糖皮质激素应激水平有关。这可以帮助狮子应对周围环境的压力。
结论：我们的发现强调了这种将大型猫科动物的个性和压力生理联系起来的综合方法可能对看护者有益。例如,在紧张的兽医程序或重新引入计划中，认识到狮子的个性可以帮助设计或为它们提供减轻压力的资源。因此，需要更多的跨学科方法，这将有助于提高大型猫科动物的个人和整体福利。
