Undergraduate Honors Thesis Projects

Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Honors Paper

Degree Name

Biology-BS

Department

Biology & Earth Science

Advisor

Bennett Grooms

First Committee Member

Andrew Calinger-Yoak

Second Committee Member

Michele Acker

Keywords

African Lions, Enrichment, Sex Differences, Behavioral Observation

Subject Categories

Higher Education | Zoology

Abstract

African lion (Panthera leo leo) populations have declined significantly over the past century within their natural habitats, increasing the importance of effective management strategies for individuals in human care. Environment enrichment is a critical tool for promoting species typical behavior in human care; however, enrichment practices are often generalized and may not account for sex-specific differences. This study examined how sex, enrichment types, behaviors, and time of day influenced enrichment interaction duration in a small pride of African lions (n = 4) housed at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Two enrichment types were evaluated: cognitive/occupational (CO, a manipulable barrel) and sensory (S, zebra and elephant feces). Behavioral data was collected across four trials using a focal, continuous sampling methodology in 30min sessions. Trials consisted of female-only, male-only, and mixed-sex and behaviors recorded were categorized into six behavioral groups and compared by duration. Results indicated females showed a significantly greater interaction with sensory enrichment, while the male and mixed-sex trials showed a non-significant trend toward greater interaction with cognitive/occupational enrichment. Within the mixed-sex trials, these sex-specific differences were not observed, suggesting social context may influence enrichment engagement. Exploratory, foraging, and social behaviors were associated with longer engagement times with the behavioral category analysis. Time of day showed a non-significant trend suggesting potential decrease in cognitive/occupational use during midday. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual, social, and behavioral factors when evaluating enrichment effectiveness, and suggest the need for more individualized enrichment strategies to better promote welfare in lions in human care.

Licensing Permission

Copyright, all rights reserved. Fair Use

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