Color discrimination in horses

Abstracts coincides with the switch of extinction mechanisms to the adult phenotype. Enzymatic degradation of PNNs in the amygdala of adults rats re-enabled the erasure of fear memories by extinction, but only if PNNs were degraded before fear conditioning. Fear extinction may reverse prior traumatic experience if it occurs within a discrete time window following retrieval, when traumatic fear memories are unstable and susceptible to disruption. Because relapse of pathological fear is a key limitation of exposure therapies in PTSD, these new findings may point to novel strategies in preventing the development of extinctionresistant pathological fear. Key words: fear conditioning; rodents; Post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD); memory; memory extinction COLOR DISCRIMINATION IN HORSES N. Kasbaoui, B.L. Deputte*, S. Blot Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d’Alfort, ENVA, 7 avenue du general de Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort, Cedex, France *Corresponding author: [email protected] How do horses perceive colors? The animals’ response can be examined using a simultaneous discrimination paradigm, with two types of stimuli: reflective or projected. Our experimental study aimed at exploring color discrimination in an eco-ethological perspective: the presented stimuli are reflective and recall what horses may see in a meadow. We used a simultaneous discrimination paradigm, S+/S-, that implied conditioned responses with positive rewards. The different colors under interest were tested against a neutral grey. Some of these colors were tested against each other. Two subjects were tested for a total of 945 trials. Only one subject reached the discrimination criterion that was set at least 80% of correct responses over 2 consecutive sessions of 20 trials. Colors ‘‘yellow’’, ‘‘deep green’’ and ‘‘brown red’’ were discriminated from the neutral grey. Colors ‘‘yellow’’ and ‘‘red’’ were discriminated from color ‘‘deep green’’. A ‘‘light blue-sky’’ color was not discriminated from the neutral grey. Our results confirmed the dichromatic feature of color vision in horses, being consistent with anatomical and electrophysiological studies. Nevertheless, results may differ from other experimental studies results’ depending on the methods used and the presented stimuli. Key words: colur perception; horses; simultaneous discrimination; operant conditoning; dichromatism USE OF SPACE AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION IN CATS, Felis catus, LIVING IN COLONY? E. Jumelet1,2,*, T. Bedossa2,3, B. Deputte1,2 1 National Veterinary School at Alfort (ENVA), 7 avenue du General de Gaulle, 94704 Maisons-Alfort Cedex, France 2 G.Re.C.C.C. (Research Group on the Behavior of Dogs and Cats), ENVA

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AVA Shelter, La Ferme du Quesnoy, 76220 Cuy Saint Fiacre *Corresponding author: [email protected] Phone: 33 (0) 06 83 08 18 48 Cats are solitary, non-territorial animals that may live in colonies. In colonies, the use of space and the way cats interact with each other may indicate how they could get along together despite of the solitary feature of the species. During dyadic interactions, the tail-up display in cats is assumed to predict the outcome of the interaction either friendly or agonistic. Space use by cats living in a colony of about 50 individuals in a 2,700 m2 enclosure was investigated with some features of visual communication in a sub-sample of 29 cats. Space use was investigated during 4 observational sessions a day using walks along predetermined trails within the enclosure. Visual communication was investigated through « Behavior-dependent onset of sampling ». Position of ears and tail for both the initiator and the recipient of the interaction was noted, as was the outcome. Space varied according to seasons. In winter, cats were concentrated in and around the main shelter. During summer, cats were widely dispersed within the enclosure using most of the available shelters. The position of ears were much more informative than that of the tail to predict the outcome of the dyadic interactions. Erect ears in both cats were most likely associated with positive-friendly outcomes while flattened ears in either one or both cats likely predicted negative-agonistic outcomes. Tail-up displays were not predictive of outcomes. Tail-up displays were characteristics of cat-human interactions. Key words: cats; colony; use of space; visual communication; ear-tail configurations

THE LIVESTOCK GUARDING DOGS: OR THE CHALLENGE OF EMPLOYING A PREVNTING TOOL ORIGINATED FROM TRADITIONAL SOCIETIES IN A MODERN SOCIETY J.-M. Landry* Institute for the Promotion and Research on Guarding Animals (IPRGA), Martigny, Suisse *Corresponding author: [email protected] The returning of wolves to the Alps has led to an increasing number of livestock guarding dogs (LGDs) being employed on alpine pastures to protect flocks (about 1200 LGDs/200 wolves). LGDs have an ancient history but have been poorly studied. Empirical selection for LGDs is essentially post-zygomatic based on environmental selection pressure. Selection could also be pre-zygomatic where LGD morphology is more important than the behavior. LGDs have now to co-habit with tourists and to live in a society that stigmatizes large dogs, so while LGDs remain one of the best tools to prevent predation, it’s necessary to find ways to allow shepherds to protect their flocks in new environmental conditions. There are few behavioral tests specific to LGDs and even fewer are scientifically validated. Scientific