Behavioral restriction effects on activity motivation of a captive lion (Panthera leo persica)

It has been suggested that the locomotive needs of zoo animals are not always satisfied in captive conditions. However, these reasons for movement and locomotion differ among species. This study investigated the locomotive motivation of captive lions, which are regarded as having relatively low motivation to move compared to other zoo animals. Four Indian lions including 1 noncastrated male and 3 females were observed as subject animals. Two captive conditions were set as experimental days: 1 was a confined condition in a bed chamber all day long (confined day); another was a released condition, with access to the exhibition area during daytime (released day). The observation periods were also defined as “daytime” (9:00-16:00) and “nighttime” (16:30-9:00 of the next morning). We counted the lions' behavior repertories and recorded their maintenance, social, reproductive, and abnormal pacing behavior of 24 hours each day 5 times from the beginning of August to the end of November. Results show no difference in the numbers of behavior repertories between the released and confined days (χ2 = 0.084, NS), suggesting that the conditions in this zoo might be sufficient for captive lions to express various behavior repertories. However, the maintenance behavior percentages were significantly different when confined and released days were compared (daytime, χ2 = 19.17, P < 0.01; nighttime, χ2 = 13.06, P < 0.05). All the lions rested nearly all day long except around evening housing time or in the morning on the released days. However, on confined days, they were usually restless. Furthermore, abnormal pacing during walking (χ2 = 3.94, P < 0.05) was significantly different on each day. These results suggest that the lion's locomotor needs were not satisfied when the lions were confined in the bed chamber all day, even though they did not always move actively. It might be important for the lions to have some opportunity to ramble.