Captivity (animal) in the context of "Captive orcas"

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⭐ Core Definition: Captivity (animal)

Animal captivity is the confinement of domestic and wild animals. More specifically, animals that are held by humans and prevented from escaping are said to be in captivity. The term animal captivity is usually applied to wild animals that are held in confinement, but this term may also be used generally to describe the keeping of domesticated animals such as livestock or pets. This may include, for example, animals in farms, private homes, zoos, aquariums, public aquariums and laboratories. Animal captivity may be categorized according to the particular motives, objectives, and conditions of the confinement.

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👉 Captivity (animal) in the context of Captive orcas

Dozens of orcas are held in captivity for breeding or performance purposes. The practice of capturing and displaying orcas in exhibitions began in the 1960s, and they soon became popular attractions at public aquariums and aquatic theme parks due to their intelligence, trainability, striking appearance, playfulness, and sheer size. As of 24 March 2024, around 55 orcas are in captivity worldwide, 33 of which were captive-born. At that time, there were 18 orcas in the SeaWorld parks.

The practice of keeping orcas in captivity is controversial, due to their separation from their familial pod during capture, and their living conditions and health in captivity. Additionally, concerns have been raised regarding the safety of animal trainers entering the water to work with captive orcas, which have been responsible for numerous attacks on humans—some fatal. In contrast, wild orcas are not known to have ever killed a human, and physical interactions with humans in the wild are extremely rare and typically non-aggressive.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Poultry

Poultry (/ˈpltri/) are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of harvesting animal products such as meat, eggs or feathers. The practice of raising poultry is known as poultry farming. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, and turkeys). The term also includes waterfowls of the family Anatidae (ducks and geese) but does not include wild birds hunted for food known as game or quarry.

Recent genomic studies involving the four extant junglefowl species reveals that the domestication of chicken, the most populous poultry species, occurred around 8,000 years ago in Southeast Asia. This was previously believed to have occurred around 5,400 years ago, also in Southeast Asia. The process may have originally occurred as a result of people hatching and rearing young birds from eggs collected from the wild, but later involved keeping the birds permanently in captivity. Domesticated chickens may have been used for cockfighting at first and quail kept for their songs, but people soon realised the advantages of having a captive-bred source of food. Selective breeding for fast growth, egg-laying ability, conformation, plumage and docility took place over the centuries, and modern breeds often look very different from their wild ancestors. Although some birds are still kept in small flocks in extensive systems, most birds available in the market today are reared in intensive commercial enterprises.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Pen (enclosure)

A pen is a fenced/walled open-air enclosure for holding land animals in captivity, typically for livestock but may also be used for holding other domesticated animals such as pets that are unwanted inside buildings. The term describes types of enclosures that may confine one or many animals. Construction and terminology vary depending on the region of the world, purpose, animal species to be confined, local materials used and tradition. Pen or penning as a verb refers to the act of confining animals in an enclosure.

Similar terms are kraal, boma, and corrals. Encyclopædia Britannica notes usage of the term "kraal" for elephant corrals in India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Jane Goodall

Dame Valerie Jane Morris Goodall (/ˈɡʊdˌɔːl/; née Morris-Goodall; 3 April 1934 – 1 October 2025) was an English primatologist and anthropologist. Regarded as a pioneer in primate ethology, and described by many publications as "the world's preeminent chimpanzee expert", she was best known for more than six decades of field research on the social and family life of wild chimpanzees in the Kasakela chimpanzee community at Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania. Beginning in 1960, under the mentorship of the palaeontologist Louis Leakey, Goodall's research demonstrated that chimpanzees share many key traits with humans, such as using tools, having complex emotions, forming lasting social bonds, engaging in organised warfare, and passing on knowledge across generations, which redefined the traditional view that humans are uniquely different from other animals.

In 1965 Goodall was awarded a PhD in ethology from the University of Cambridge. In the 1960s Goodall published several accounts of her research in Tanzania, including a series of articles in National Geographic. Her first book-length study, In the Shadow of Man (1971), was later translated into 48 languages. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977 to promote wildlife conservation, followed by the Roots & Shoots youth programme in 1991, which grew into a global network. Goodall also established wildlife sanctuaries and reforestation projects in Africa and campaigned for the ethical treatment of animals in animal testing, animal husbandry and captivity. Goodall was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2002, and advised organisations such as Save the Chimps and the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Live food

Live food is living animals used as food for feeding other carnivorous or omnivorous animals kept in captivity; in other words, small preys that are artificially presented to larger predators kept as exotic pets, livestocks, or display animals in zoo or aquaria. The idea behind using live food is to provide lively feeds that stimulate the proactive hunting instinct in the captive animals, thus retaining their "wildness" state that are often lost in prolonged captivity.

Live food is used to feed a variety of captive animals, typically those are naturally insectivorous, piscivorous or vermivorous, such as spiders, ornamental fish, songbirds and landfowls, small frogs and lizards. Those that are fed larger, tougher and more mobile live prey such as crustaceans, bivalves and rodents are typically hypercarnivorous predators such as mantis shrimps, octopuses, predatory fish, bullfrogs, large reptiles (e.g. crocodiles and alligators, snakes, large varanids such as Komodo dragon and monitor lizards, and snapping turtles), predatory birds and various carnivoran mammals such as great cats, canines and mustelids. Occasionally mesocarnivorous/hypocarnivorous animals such as bears and foxes, who are more generalist and less dietarily dependent on fresh meat, are also fed live food. For instance, pet skunks, who are omnivorous, can technically be fed a limited amount of live food, although this is not known to be a common practice.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Vulnerable species

A vulnerable species is a species which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatening its survival and reproduction improve.

Vulnerability is mainly caused by habitat loss or destruction of the species' home. Vulnerable habitat or species are monitored and can become increasingly threatened. Some species listed as "vulnerable" may be common in captivity, an example being the military macaw.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Kinkajou

The kinkajou (/ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/ KING-kə-joo; Potos flavus) is a tropical rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle. It is the only member of the genus Potos and is also known as the "honey bear" (a name that it shares with the unrelated sun bear). Though kinkajous are arboreal, they are not closely related to any other tree-dwelling mammal group (primates, some mustelids, etc.).

Native to Mexico, Central and South America, this mostly frugivorous mammal is seldom seen by people because of its strict nocturnal habits. However, it is hunted for the pet trade, its skin (to make wallets and horse saddles), and its meat. The species has been included in Appendix III of CITES by Honduras, which means that exports from Honduras require an export permit, and exports from other countries require a certificate of origin or of re-export. They may live up to 40 years in captivity.

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Captivity (animal) in the context of Otter 841

Otter 841 (born c. 2018), also known as Sea Otter 841, is a female southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis) who attracted publicity in mid-2023 for her aggressive interactions with surfers and kayakers off the coast of Santa Cruz, California.

841 was born in captivity at the Coastal Science Campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz and raised at Monterey Bay Aquarium by her mother, Otter 723, with minimal human intervention. In June 2020 she was released into the wild at Moss Landing Wildlife Area.

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