History of discipline. Domestication. Ethology and conservation. Ethology and invasion biology. Higher abilities of animals. Pet therapy. Other applications (effects of pollution, economic models, robotics, teaching, human ethology). Video analyses and excursions for the laboratory.
Jensen P (2002) “The ethology of domestic animals”, CABI; Francis RC (2015) “Addomesticati”, Bollati Boringhieri; Festa-Bianchet M, Apollonio M (2003) “Animal behavior and wildlife conservation”, Island Press; Brown JA, Seddon YM, Appleby MC (2016) “Animals and us: 50 years and more of applied ethology”, Wageningen Academic Publishers.
Scientific papers on specific topics for updates and in-depth analysis will be also provided.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: applied aspects of ethology, from the traditional (domestic or captive animals) to the most recent ones (pet therapy, emotions, cognitive abilities).
Competences acquired: to know and use tools for an ethological contribution in different areas; identify the management critical issues through an ethological approach; apply a comparative approach among species to deal with several management problems.
Communication skills: to know and use an appropriate scientific language in the field of applied ethology.
Skills acquired: ability to apply the ethological approach for a better management of animal species in several fields and in collaboration with other disciplines.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of ethology and ecology.
Teaching Methods
Interactive lectures (Power point)/seminars/analysis and discussion of videos and articles, field excursions
Type of Assessment
Oral exam. Discussion of a Power point presentation prepared by the candidate on a topic of the course + questions on the course program
Course program
Introduction and history of discipline.
Domestication: modalities and different stages of domestication, pre-adaptations, influence on morphology and behaviour, domestication syndrome. Domestic species and control of their behaviour, behavioural disorders, animal welfare indicators, motivation, problems caused by domestic animals in the wild.
Ethology and conservation: causes of their separation, conservation aspects linked to ethology (population viability analysis, design of protected areas and ecological corridors, poaching, reproduction in captivity, reintroductions, maximum sustainable yield, charismatic species, zoological gardens and aquaria, rescue centers). Social hierarchies and conservation: formation and maintenance, aggressiveness in confined environments, different reproductive success.
Ethology and invasion biology: main concepts, invasiveness and behaviour, importance of personality, management techniques and behavioural studies.
Higher abilities: high forms of learning/cultural transmission, use of instruments, social learning, play and its deprivation, cooperative play, awareness and consciousness, emotions, hints on theory of mind, personality, individual recognition, “think ahead”, mathematic abilities.
Pet therapy: definition and history, beneficiaries and benefits, the different types of Assisted Animal Interventions, organization and team, animals used in pet therapy, pet education, hints on zooanthropology.
Other applications of ethology: behaviour and pollution, economic models, robotics, teaching, human ethology, laboratory animals.
Laboratory: analyses of behavioural videos, excursions with behavioural observations.