Control Defensive Behaviour in Animals

To study different species’ or animal types’ normal as well as defensive behaviour you need to study them in their natural environment. Therefore, you must choose species that are easily found in your area. In order to understand what constitutes "defensive behaviour," it is important to have a very clear idea of what constitutes "normal" behaviour and how this varies during the different lifecycles of the animal.

For the purpose of this study "defensive behaviour" is defined as any animal behaviour that may pose a threat or risk to another animal or human being. Animals will thus display defensive behaviour to humans and other animals within and between species. The "Kiewiet" that makes a noise and runs around to distract the intruder from its eggs or young expresses defensive behaviour but does not pose a threat to anything.

Knowledge of animal behaviour is not something that is picked up overnight from books. It is therefore important for you to expose yourself to different situations of dealing with animals as often as possible.

Long-term observation will help with future identification of abnormal behaviour patterns.

Typical Problems That May Be Encounter Due to Defensive Behaviour

The most common problems that are encountered in the handling and feeding of animals are usually as follows:

Factors Stimulating Defensive Behaviour in Animals

• Driving animals from one place to another can stimulate defensive behaviour if the animal feels threatened in the process of being moved.
• When you have confined animals in a crush to administer medication such as dosing, injections and inoculations, you should expect resistance and defensive reactions because the animals are confined and feel threatened.
• Defensive behaviours will most certainly occur if you intrude too closely to the young of an animal. The mother (and sometimes also the father) will defend its young.
• Threats caused by other animals may also stimulate defensive behaviour.
• Similarly, loud sudden noises or sudden movements can also scare animals to defend themselves.
• When an animal has repeatedly been hurt through beating, whipping or prodding, then it may react aggressively to a person holding a whip or a stick.
• When males are in a rut, they are particularly aggressive.

Typical Problems That May Be Encounter Due to Defensive Behaviour

The most common problems that are encountered in the handling and feeding of animals are usually as follows:

• Breaking out of confinement and straying.
• Breaking equipment, facilities and infrastructure.
• Refusing to enter buildings/facilities/cages/transportation/confined areas etc.
• Struggling during handling.
• Threatening and/or attacking humans or other animals.
• Self-mutilation (hurting /harming themselves)
• Accidental injury to the animals themselves.
• Injury due to competition and pecking-order fights.
• Abnormal defensive behaviour as a result of some diseases such as rabies or mad cow disease.
• Attacking people or animals in the vicinity. A good example of a type of animal/insect attacking people or animals is honeybees. When the people working with the bees wear protective gear then the bees may attack people in the vicinity not wearing protective gear.
• It is always better to feed animals separately in pens or feed animals of the same age and size together. Where it is not practical then you must make sure that there is enough trough space and ration so that there will be limited competition among the animals.