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karol orzechowski

The Faunalytics team shares your heartfelt desire to help animals by finding the best ways for advocates to save lives and reduce suffering. The following articles are written by karol orzechowski for Faunalytics.org.

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Explaining Dehumanization Among Children: The Interspecies Model of Prejudice
This article describes two studies of children that explore the connection between assumptions of human superiority to animals and racism. White Canadian 6-10 year olds attributed more "uniquely human" characteristics to photos of white children than to photos of black children, and perceived the black children as more similar to animals. Parents' beliefs in human superiority strongly predicted children's racism. However, watching a video about similarities between humans and animals moderated children's attitudes towards humans and animals. READ MORE

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Illegal Killing for Ivory Drives Global Decline in African Elephants
The authors of this study applied both empirical and modeling approaches to track illegal elephant killing at a regional and continental level. 75% of sites showed a population decline since 2009. Research into causes of a diminished (but still unsustainable) rate of killing since 2011 may provide insights into effective strategies to reduce the illegal ivory trade, which has created havoc with elephant family structures, skewing sex ratios, and increasing the orphaning of calves. READ MORE

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Jealousy in Dogs
This study tested whether dogs displayed jealous behaviors when their human companions attended to three different objects, including a stuffed dog. The dogs did display more aggression towards the stuffed dog than towards other objects, and more actively tried to divert their human's attention to themselves. This suggests that dogs experience jealousy, and that previous assumptions about the origin and nature of human jealousy may be inaccurate. READ MORE

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Understanding Vocalization Might Help to Assess Stressful Conditions in Piglets
In this study, the vocalizations of 22-week-old piglets were recorded while they were subjected to mild stress conditions of cold, pain, and hunger. The vocalizations were analyzed with computer software, and compared to recordings made when the piglets were not stressed. The vocalizations under each condition were distinct in the computer analysis, but only the pain vocalizations could be identified by the unaided human ear. READ MORE

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Effects of Invasive Plants on Arthropods
This literature review examines the effects of invasive plants on insects, arachnids, and crustaceans. 90% of arthropods are plant-eaters who depend on specific species. They decreased three times as often as they increased. Predatory arthropod populations dropped twice as often and ant populations dropped seven times more often than they increased. Arthropods have key ecosystem roles in pollination, predation, and decomposition, as well as in the diets of other animals. Impacts of invasive plants on their habitat should be considered in conservation decisions. READ MORE

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An Owner Survey of Toys, Activities, and Behavior Problems in Indoor Cats
This study surveyed veterinary clients on cat behavior problems, cat toy availability, and the frequency and duration of human-cat play sessions. No correlation was found between behavior problems and spay/neuter status, declaw status, frequency of play, or number of toys. Humans reported more behavior problems with cats who hunted or went outdoors, and fewer problems when they played at least 5 minutes per session with their cats. Inappropriate urination was twice as likely to be reported in male cats as in females. Specific behavior issues correlated with use of specific toys. READ MORE

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Social Housing Improves Dairy Calves’ Performance in Two Cognitive Tests
In this study, newborn Holstein calves were separated from their mothers shortly after birth and isolated in a pen for four days. Half of the calves continued in solitary housing, while the other half shared a pen with another calf. Calves were tested for ability to change tactics when a situation changed at four weeks, and to habituate to a new situation at seven weeks. Solitary-housed calves were slower to adjust to a change in the first test, and never got acclimated to a new object in the second test, suggesting that housing without social contact negatively impacted their cognitive development. READ MORE

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Yoruba Ethico-cultural Perspectives and Understanding of Animal Rights
This literature review argues that non-Western cultural perspectives of animals should be incorporated into global concepts of animal ethics. Using Nigerian Yoruban culture as a case study, the authors explore Yoruban idioms, taboos, customs, spiritual beliefs, and rituals that reference animals. While concluding that Yorubans cannot be classified as either welfarist or abolitionist, they conclude that "superstitious relational attitudes" may constitute a unique and significant contribution to animal ethics discourse. READ MORE
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