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OPERANT CONDITIONING WITH POLAR BEARS -
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 | Simulates a natural summer arctic environment using:
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| Olfactory: herbs, spices, essential oils, perfumes |
| Tactile: browse, flowers, different substrates |
| Taste: food items, spreads, syrups, and frozen food items |
| Visual: live fish, natural formations, barriers and elevations |
| Natural items (bamboo, movable logs, browse, tree stumps) |
| Non-natural items (assortment of toys, ropes, containers, marine equipment such as boat buffers, etc) |
| Hidden, scattered food and random feeding methods |
| Iceblocks (fishicles, etc) |
| Able to display bears together in naturalistic habitat with natural visual barriers (garden beds with trees, rock formations and large logs, etc). |
| Rotating bears on exhibit and in back of house areas, allowing for solitude or choice of being in close proximity |
| Operant conditioning (or behavioral training) using positive reinforcement techniques for husbandry/preventative medicine purposes. |
It is this last form of enrichment that this paper will focus on; the
"nuts and bolts" of our operant conditioning program.
"The primary goals of an enrichment program are to provide a stimulating environment that allows animals to make choices, giving them some level of control over their environment" (Steve Martin, Natural Encounters) and to encourage a natural range of behaviors similar to the animal's wild counterparts.
Training is teaching; being trained is learning. It is a problern-solving process that can easily be as challenging and rewarding as the most complex enrichment device (Tim Desmond ...Gaile Laule, 1998).
Operant Conditioning, using positive reinforcement, has proved to be a valuable technique as an animal care and management tool, resulting in benefits not only for the animals, but also for the caretakers, veterinarians and others concerned with the welfare of captive animals (Active Environments, 1993).
This type of training/conditioning relies on the voluntary co-operation of the animal to succeed. It can also assist with routine husbandry needs (including crate/den training), identify and address potential medical concerns before they develop, minimize stress related behavioral problems (such as stereotypic behaviors), as well as offer mental stimulation, a form of behavioral enrichment.
At Polar Bear Shores, we chose to incorporate operant conditioning with our four bears. Positive reinforcement training through "protected contact" was the preferred training method. Protected contact is made possible through 40mm square stainless steel mesh windows and doors of the five dens allowing full visual of the bears and presentation of different areas of the body.
When developing our training program we looked at some key points which would assist with identifying what behaviors would be beneficial for our polar bears, keepers and veterinarian:
After prioritising the behavioral, husbandry, medicinal and daily management issues, we began to implement regular training sessions.
Because we were looking at using positive reinforcement training, our first goal was to establish "bridge" association. The bridge (also known as a conditioned reinforcer) is a training tool that bridges the time between a (correct) specific response and the reward given (in our case food reinforcement). When coupled with a requested behavior, or cue, the bridge tells the animal '~yes that is correct!" (terminal bridge). In some instances, trainers use the bridge g!!r1n,g a behavior "yes that is correct, keep going" (intermediate bridge). Here at Polar Bear Shores we only use the former of the two methods.
Next we introduced a target. This is either a hand (closed fist, left or right) or a target stick using 20mm PVC piping with a float on the end. The purpose of the target is to have the bears touch the target (hand or stick) with their nose and follow the target to wherever it moves. This is a useful tool when shaping other behaviors such as chest and shoulder/leg presentation (changing the topography of the animal). By using the target we can move and position the bears as needed. It can also be used to "station" the bears while doors or slides are closed and opened, as well as positioning on scales to obtain regular weights.
Sharon with Liya using a target stick
After the bears were responding 100% to the bridge and confident with the target, we progressed to simple body positions which would later be used in preventative medicine desensitization. These cues include:
| Sit: relax, similar position to that of a dog |
| Up: rise up on two legs (still in sit position or full stand) |
| Down: come down from raised position |
| Lie down: abdomen to floor, facing forward |
A recall (metal or metal sound) was also introduced to call bears off-exhibit or into a particular den. The recall is normally coupled with the bear's name and associated with something positive (i.e. enrichment, diet, fresh bedding/browse, etc).
We began developing other behaviors for husbandry/preventative medicine purposes:
It was through shaping this behavior that we discovered our adult male bear, Ping Ping, had a discolored lower left canine. After having this inspected by a specialized dental veterinarian, it was confirmed the tooth was dead and needed root canal surgery. Had we not discovered this bad tooth, an infection was likely to have formed and extended along his jaw line resulting in a serious medical problem. This was avoided due to this training program and a successful root canal under general anesthetic was performed.
Teeth presentation with Ping Ping
To date Ping Ping reliably offers a mouth/teeth inspection with tongue depressor to the outer lips for better visual of canines and back teeth. We will soon begin developing this behavior further by brushing his upper incisors with toothpaste due to his gum receding in this area (we may need a supply of toothbrushes to shape this one!)
| Q-tip/cotton swab (touch and rubbing pads) |
| paint brushes, various sizes (to apply topical treatment) |
| Betadine spray to pads |
We have recently started to extend this paw presentation and treatment by shaping a front/top paw presentation with Ping Ping. Again, desensitization to Q-tip/cotton swabs and paint brushes is being included in this behavior (incorporating acceptance to forceps in the near future). The cue is the same for both sides of paw (cue being "paw") using different positions to avoid confusion. Front paw presentation is given in a lie down position whereas pads (back/underside of paws, forefeet only) are given in sit/stand position.
When developing a new program (of any kind) there are going to be challenges and "teething" problems. We have found each bear had a unique challenge with regards to training and we adapted to these individual needs and overcame these challenges over the course of implementing this program. Of course, new concerns arise from time to time, and we have become flexible in our approach with our main priority being the well-being of the bears.
Ping Ping is young, enthusiastic and a fast learner, however he is not a confident bear. Noises, distractions, and changes in routine can see him regress considerably with training. He occasionally shows signs of insecurity and fear in the presence ofpeople, so developing a strong, positive rapport and trust was the priority with Ping before tackling any behaviors. Frequent hand feeding ofhis diet was incorporated into our daily routine that saw tremendous improvement in his confidence and overall acceptance of new things and people.
Training sessions soon became very reinforcing to him due to the positive attention rewards he received. 'Behind the Scene' tours were randomly incorporated into the sessions and general visitors also became positive to Ping Ping. We are mindful of loud noises and situations that may set him back in training and with our relationship with him and endeavor to "set him up to succeed" in all sessions and use all dens and off-display areas for training to avoid associations with a single location.
Kanook is 18 years old and has lived in two different facilities before joining us here at Polar Bear Shores. Kanook has seen it all. Over the years, she had developed certain behavioral patterns including a strong stereotypic pacing habit (up to six hours a day). We were immediately faced with a challenge as curbing this behavioral problem was the highest priority to the staff.
We soon discovered that giving Kanook a sense of control over her environment
was all that was needed to reduce this
pacing habit. To do this we offered Kanook options as to where she could be
(i.e. exhibit, air-conditioned dens, outdoor off-exhibit area, etc) giving her
the opportunity to choose. When we had only two bears (Kanook and Ping Ping) we
opened up the entire complex (exhibit and back of house areas) between 11:OOhrs
and 13:00hrs and the bears were free to explore, rest and play in any of these
areas. This increased flexibility eliminated Kanook's stereotypic behavior.
Kanook is very fond of her food enrichment and spends considerable time on exhibit foraging for her food. This is beneficial from a behavioral and educational standpoint, however we found that training was not as positive as her enrichment on exhibit and she would not reliably participate in training sessions. By changing the session time to early morning, using her main diet, she became focused with increased interest and effort. She would still receive her enrichment on exhibit during the day; we simply offered a better alternative to suit Kanook and staff.
Liya and Lyutyik came to PBS November 2001. Both cubs had to adjust to a major environmental change as well as being separated from their mother for the first time. It was for these reasons that we initially focused on providing a comfortable, safe and stimulating environment for the cubs. We also ensured the staff were continually reinforcing to the cubs and concentrated on building a positive relationship for the first month. Hand feeding and (protected) interactions were included in this development leading onto basic training sessions.
The cubs are only 12 months old so we keep the sessions short and reinforcing to maintain their interest, attention span and to avoid creating frustration.
Both bears have different personalities and we adapt the training sessions accordingly. For instance, Liya is high energy and very quick (sometimes erratic). Rewarding her for calm behavior is our main focus, developing behaviors second. Whereas Lyutyik is slower to learn and he is easily distracted so keeping approximations small and rewarding each step is the priority. The cubs have not been separated (with the exception of transportation to Sea World) so we must also include gradual separation into the training sessions.
Both cubs have a tendency to be competitive so we must ensure we finish the sessions simultaneously to avoid aggression. By knowing what we want to achieve and communicating before the training sessions we avoid confusion and are making good progression with both cubs.
In addition to these individual challenges, we needed to be flexible with session times and adapt to various routines and requirements, such as:
| Bears being on display for public viewin |
| Bear sleeping patterns are not disturbed |
| Main diet (daily food intake) is maintained according to each bears' needs |
| Bears are available for special public relations. ..media events |
After some trial and error, we had "adapted and overcome" the obstacles presented to us and incorporated a regular training regime for all bears which suits the animals and all parties involved with Polar Bear Shores management.
In addition to the innovative approach adopted by PBS to manage the animals, we developed behavioral profiles that reflect the bears general activity and behavioral patterns. Daily husbandry logs are used to record the bears' behavior at different times throughout the day, whether on exhibit or off display. We looked at general bear behaviors (including stereotypies) to gather appropriate information. The information recorded includes:
| Behavior -forage, groom, swim, play, rest, nesting, investigating, walking, other |
| Interaction -land or water, play, mating, soliciting, mouthing, vocalizing, aggression, other |
| Repetitive Motion -pacing, set walking pattern, rock/sway, other |
This data (and time engaged in each behavior) is collected daily and recorded on a monthly profile sheet with an accompanying graph to illustrate findings. These monthly profiles clearly reflect what types of activity the bears engage in, for what duration, if there are any behavioral changes and what possibly triggered these changes. This information has proven extremely valuable when monitoring individual bear behavior and when attempting to curb any aberrant/abnormal activity. We can also use these profiles to show seasonal changes in behavior, possible breeding patterns and many other miscellaneous information as it is required.
To date we have incorporated a successful enrichment plan for all of our bears, including a progressive conditioning program that compliments the overall management of the animals and Polar Bear Shores. We believe it is successful because we have been able to curb and reduce stereotypic behavior, provide an ever-changing and stimulating environment which sees the polar bears engage in investigatory and foraging behaviors, as well as create a training program which enables us to maintain healthy (physically and psychologically) animals. All this, without any of the staff going prematurely grey! -with the exception of Des: )
We recognize that we are the "new kids on the block" when it comes to managing polar bears in captivity and we have learned incredible amounts from these bears and our experiences over the last 18 months. We hope to continue to learn, grow and be able to share our findings with other institutions, to build a better future for polar bears and for the conservation and preservation of these remarkable marine mammals.
Polar Bear Team (from left) Sharon Holden, Grant Amer, Kerrie Haynes-Lovell and Des Spittall with Ping Ping during his root canal surgery June 2001.
| Martin, Steve. Natural Encounters Inc. -Enrichment: What Is It And Why Should You Want It? Natural Encounters, 9014 Thompson Nursery Road, Lake Wales, Florida 33853 USA |
| Desmond, Tim & Laule Gaile. Active Environments -Animal Welfare Information Centre Newsletter 1993/1998 |
(This article is reprinted with permission from Thylacinus, the quarterly publication of the Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping. Vol. 26, No.2, 2002. This paper was presented at the ASZK Zoo Keeping Conference in March 2002 and was selected as recipient of the best paper award. We thank author Sharon Holden for her assistance in electronic transmission of the manuscript. Ed.)
Photos for this article taken by the author and Des Spittall, both members of the Polar Bear Shores Team; Marine Sciences Director Trevor Long; and personnel from the Sea World Australia Education Department.
