IUCN/SSC Otter Specialist Group Bulletin
©IUCN/SCC Otter Specialist Group
Volume 35 Issue 2 (April 2018)
New Book
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THE BIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL WELFARE
Frauke Ohl, Rory PUTMAN and members of DWM, Utrecht
This new book starts from a statement of the Brambell Committee (1965) that,
“Welfare is a wide term that embraces both the physical and the mental well-being of the animal. Any attempt to evaluate welfare, therefore, must take into account the scientific evidence available concerning the feelings of animals that can be deried from the structure and function and also from their behaviour.”
While this is not a book about otters much can easily applied to otter species. Otters are kept in captivity but are also topic of field research and as such we need to think about ethical aspects in our daily work. This book is definitely very valuable food for thought. Chapters include the changing attitute towards animals and their welfare, biology of welfare or assessment of welfare. Interstingly the last chapters is subdivided into welfare of the individual and welfare of the group and there are many aspects of group welfare that I personally feel may need more attention when animals are kept in captivity. Another short subchapter relates to “intervene or not to intervene” which reminded me of long discussion I had with Claus Reuther about this sensitive topic already 20 years ago. Overall I am sure, that many of us may have use of this excellent written book.
ISBN 978-184995-366-5
Whittles Publishing www.whittlespublishing.com