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The behavior and welfare of neglected species: some examples from fish and mammals - PubMed

  • ️Mon Jan 01 2024

The behavior and welfare of neglected species: some examples from fish and mammals

Syed S U H Bukhari et al. PeerJ. 2024.

Abstract

Animal welfare is the state of an animal's body and mind and the level to which its requirements are satisfied. Animal welfare is affected by human decisions and actions. Numerous decisions concerning animals are driven by human desires to enhance their own lives, and some of these decisions may be influenced by self-interest or a strong emphasis on economic factors. How to assess the welfare state of animals is a central issue in animal welfare science. Two critical questions can be used to address animal welfare: first, is the animal healthy, and second, does the animal have what it needs? Both of these questions can potentially be answered using the study of animal behavior. The development of behavioral methodologies is crucial for evaluating welfare in contexts where concern for animal welfare is often highest, such as on intensive modern farms and sites where working animals are used. Herein, we discuss animal welfare by focusing on some of its major concepts and explanations. Later, to illustrate key aspects of animal welfare, we chose to examine the information that is available for some 'neglected' livestock species, which are commercially important on a global basis and found in large numbers: buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), camels (Camelus dromedarius), donkeys (Equus asinus), mules (Equus asinus × Equus caballus), and lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus). We chose these species because there are major ongoing concerns about their welfare, and more research is required to help solve the various problems. Overall, there are strong imbalances in terms of the species that are usually studied in terms of animal welfare research, and we call for greater attention to those that have traditionally been neglected.

Keywords: Animal behavior; Animal welfare; Buffalo welfare; Camel welfare; Climate change; Donkey welfare; Lumpfish welfare; Mule welfare; Neglected livestock.

© 2024 Bukhari et al.

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Conflict of interest statement

Alan G. McElligott and Rebecca S. V. Parkes are Academic Editors for PeerJ. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Overview of the methodology, search engine, search terms, and number of published articles focusing on the welfare of five neglected species and a chosen example of a phylogenetic relative.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Buffaloes feeding in a traditional buffalo dairy farm in a rural area of Attock-Pakistan.

Photo credit: Syed S. U. H. Bukhari.

Figure 3
Figure 3. Wallowing feral buffalo during summer in Hong Kong SAR, China.

Photo credit: George M. W. Hodgson.

Figure 4
Figure 4. (A) Feral buffaloes browsing and (B) walking in lowland marshlands in Hong Kong SAR, China.

Photo credit: George M. W. Hodgson.

Figure 5
Figure 5. Extensively grazing feral buffaloes in a lowland marshland in Hong Kong SAR, China.

Photo credit: George M. W. Hodgson.

Figure 6
Figure 6. Dromedary camels farmed using an extensive nomadic production system for milk and meat in Balochistan-Pakistan.

Photo credit: Muhammad Yaqoob.

Figure 7
Figure 7. (A) Load-pulling mule at an urban brick kiln production system in Pakistan. (B) Donkey pulling wheat crop in the rural agricultural production system in Pakistan.

Photo credit: Syed S. U. H. Bukhari.

Figure 8
Figure 8. Donkeys carrying bricks in Pakistan.

Photo credit: Syed S. U. H. Bukhari.

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MeSH terms

Grants and funding

This project was funded by the City University of Hong Kong. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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