Environmental Enrichment for Animals Used in Research

Abstract Environmental enrichment is an integral part of animal care practices. Enrichment generally refers to items we provide to the animals to support their behavioral needs. It provides a way to functionally simulate the natural environment of captive animals, in an effort to increase opportunities for the expression of species-specific behaviors and decrease the occurrence of abnormal behaviors. Further, enrichment can also be a tool in the study of basic science questions, such as how environmental factors may affect disease etiology or progression. In this chapter, we will examine the use of enrichment in both applied and basic science contexts; as a welfare tool and as an experimental model.