About Enrichment Lab
MORE RESEARCH NEEDS TO BE PERFORMED, REGARDING THE EFFICACY OF ENRICHMENT AND BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. AALAE AIMS TO GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO COLLABORATE ON ENRICHMENT/BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT STUDIES A PLATFORM!
THE ENRICHMENT LAB: DEDICATED TO PROVIDING A PLACE FOR ENRICHMENT STUDIES THAT IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE, DECREASE STEREOPATHY, AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF RESEARCH.
HAVE AN IDEA, BUT NOT THE ANIMALS AT YOUR FACILITY? WANT TO COLLABORATE ON A PROJECT? JOIN THE ENRICHMENT LAB!
PLEASE EMAIL CONTACT@AALAE.ORG WITH YOUR NAME, INSTITUTION, AND STUDY IDEA SO YOU AND ANOTHER FACILITY CAN COLLABORATE ON A STUDY AIMING TO ADVANCE ANIMAL WELFARE.
What Can the Enrichment Lab do?
Impact
Provides Information on How to Perform Your Own Behavior/ Enrichment Study
The Enrichment lab serves as a resource to the lab animal community concerning active studies, collaboration between various institutions, suggestions for behavioral equipment, as well as suggestions to start your own Animal Welfare Committee in your own institution.
Gives Active Enrichment/ Behavioral Studies a Platform
The Enrichment Lab provides a platform for subscribers to check out ongoing enrichment and behavior studies.
Promotes the Ability to for Institutions to Work Together
The Enrichment Lab promotes and facilitates collaboration of studies between multiple institutions. Facilities lacking resources such as certain species of animals, behavioral monitoring machines, data analysis etc can reach out and the Enrichment lab will work to connect you with other facilities that may have those resources.
How Can I Start My Own Enrichment Lab at my Facility?
Enriched Laboratory Animals
Monkeys
Monkeys like rhesus macaques forage around 70% of the day in the wild. Enrichment items such a wheat grass, plants, icees, foraging devices, or paper boxes filled with treats is the perfect enrichment for monkeys to exhibit this behavior.
Pigs
Pigs exhibit rooting behavior. Enrichment items such as icees, round solid balls, paper boxes filled with treats, and pumpkins smeared with honey allow these animals to exhibit this natural behavior.
Sheep
Sheep are a gregarious species that prefer hay as enrichment. Providing hay in structural enrichment items such as nets, blue balls, and apple balls add variety to methods of enrichment distribution.
Rodents
Rodents are a prey species that hide when threatened by a predator. Providing environmental enrichment such a nesting material gives them the ability to build complex nests. Also, providing an igloo gives them the ability to hide from potential aggressors, while also providing shelter for pups.
Round of Applause
Enrichment of the Month
Yorkshire Pigs enjoying their fruit cartons and exhibiting the exploratory, rooting and chewing behaviors. Tap here to learn more!