Description

---

Concern over the welfare of confined animals has increased rapidly in recent years and extends not only to farm and zoo animals, but also to laboratory and companion animals. One form of 'undesirable' habit that has maintained public and scientific interest is so-called stereotypic behavior patterns. Obvious examples of these include bar-biting of closely confined sows, wind-sucking of stalled horses, repetitive pacing of certain zoo animals, and locomotor loops of caged rodents. Many other less specific behaviors under supposedly stressful conditions or induced by drugs are however similarly labelled as stereotypic behaviors.
This book is the first to provide a comprehensive review of this subject. It covers a range of perspectives, stereotypes being analyzed in terms of motivation, subjectivity, physiolgoy, psychopharmacology and function, and concludes by assessing future research directions and implications for animal welfare. It is a significant addition to the literature and is aimed at advanced students and researchers in applied ethology and related disciplines.