A case study: resocialization of two sibling Striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) in a wildlife park in northeastern Italy

The concept of zoo is changed over the years and, nowadays, the role of the modern zoos can be summarized in four keywords: conservation, education, research, and recreation. The interest in the topic of animal welfare has grown a lot, and researchers are looking for ways to meet the five freedoms in this context and how to assess it. In this regard, behaviour, physiology and emotional state are considered as main indicators. The case study described in this work stems from the requirement, within a zoological garden, to resocialize two sibling Striped hyenas, born and raised in captivity, that have expressed an antagonist behaviour towards each other since the age of three years. This forced the staff of the zoo to manage the hyenas allowing the access to the outdoor enclosure to a single animal every other day and this off-exhibit management might have compromised their welfare status over the years.