Module 07 - Environmental Enrichment

Summary

In the past, animals were kept in cages or pens that provided very little substrate for them to engage in many of their natural behaviours.  Environmental enrichment is a phrase used to cover a wide range of additions or modifications of the environment to allow animals a more varied life.  Although many of the changes are indeed to the physical environment, changes in social opportunities for the animals are also important; and social opportunities include interactions with people.  A major benefit of environmental enrichment is the reduction in stress in the animals with beneficial influences on the research projects they are involved in.