Behaviour traits in ex situ felids

As all zoo keepers are aware, the range of these personalities varies greatly between individuals. Some individuals are more willing to socially interact with their keepers, while others are more independent. There is further variation in interactions between familiar and unfamiliar people. The aim of this study is to investigate potential relationships between cat personality traits, species, sub-species and coat type. We ultimately aim to use the data gathered by this survey to generate a set of personality profiles which encompass the wide variation of personality traits shown in felids within the Panthera genus.

Data is lacking for Asiatic lions, Malayan tigers and all subspecies of leopards so would really appreciate responses for these subspecies in particular.

Instructions:

The survey is composed of two sections. The first section will focus on gathering information about your experience as a zoo keeper and acquiring a physical profile of the felid.

The second section will involve ranking various behaviour in relation to the felid so that we can establish a personality profile.

If you look after more than one individual, and wish to inform us about more than one, please fill out a separate survey for each of the individuals.

At the end of the survey you will given the option to provide a photo of the indivdual. Please rest assured that any photos provided will be used solely for the purpose of this study and not be redistributed in any way.

Once you click “Next”, the survey will begin. Please answer all questions and try to provide as much detail as possible where required in the text boxes labelled as “Other”. The data you provide will only be used for the research outlined above and will be treated with confidentiality.

Thank you very much for taking the time to complete the survey!