Unit of competency

Modification History

Application

This unit of competency describes the skills and knowledge required to provide enrichment to stimulate, replenish and maintain appropriate behavioural patterns of all animals, including those housed short-term or long-term in an animal care facility.

The unit applies to individuals working in the animal care industry where it is necessary to provide enrichment programs for animals. They work under broad direction, typically in a team environment, and are required to take responsibility for their own work, including carrying out assigned tasks, organising processes, solving routine problems and working to schedules.

All work must be carried out to comply with workplace procedures according to Commonwealth and state/territory health and safety and animal welfare regulations, legislation and standards that apply to the workplace.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Pre-requisite Unit

Nil

Unit Sector

Behaviour and Training (BEH)

Elements and Performance Criteria

Foundation Skills

This section describes those language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills that are essential for performance in this unit of competency but are not explicit in the performance criteria.

Unit Mapping Information

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103

Assessment requirements

Modification History

Performance Evidence

An individual demonstrating competency must satisfy all of the elements and performance criteria in this unit.

There must be evidence that the individual has:

• observed, recorded and reported behaviour patterns for one of the following combinations:

• two animals of different species
• two animals at different life-cycle stages
• two animals with different individual behavioural requirements

• documented and provided one short-term (daily or weekly) and one longer-term (monthly or annual) enrichment program, for one of the following combinations:

• two animals of different species
• two animals at different life-cycle stages
• two animals with different individual behavioural requirements.

Knowledge Evidence

An individual must be able to demonstrate the knowledge required to perform the tasks outlined in the elements and performance criteria of this unit. This includes knowledge of:

• purpose of behavioural and environmental enrichment
• types of behavioural and environmental enrichment strategies, including:

• infrastructure and manipulative enrichment (positive interactions with the environment)
• olfactory and gustatory enrichment (smells and taste)
• exploratory enrichment (changes within the environment)

• strategies to encourage natural behaviour, including activities and equipment for:

• foraging or hunting for food appropriate for species
• exercise and physical fitness and proprioception relevant to animal species
• opportunities to socialise
• rest, hiding or shelter in appropriate housing
• positive reinforcement training or conditioning
• reinforcing the role of owner or handler in an appropriate context for the nominated species

• factors to consider in developing enrichment programs, including:

• cognitive ability of animal species
• age-appropriate and individual animal needs
• social groupings and hierarchy
• novel food and potential dietary consequences, including toxicity and parasitic infection
• safety of objects and infrastructure
• introducing new enrichments – observing animal reactions

• formats for documenting short-term and longer-term enrichment schedules
• species-specific behaviours requiring attention, including:

• exaggerated forms of a normal behaviour
• stereotypies or repetitive actions
• stress, avoidance, displacement, aggression

• safe and humane, low stress animal handling techniques
• species-specific milestones in developmental progress from newborn to mature animal
• workplace policies and procedures relevant to providing enrichment to animals, including health and safety and animal welfare.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment of the skills in this unit of competency must take place under the following conditions:

• physical conditions:

• an animal care facility or an environment that accurately represents workplace conditions

• resources, equipment and materials:

• live animals specified in the performance evidence
• animal care equipment and resources appropriate to enrichment tasks specified in the performance evidence

• specifications:

• workplace policies and procedures relevant to providing enrichment to animals, including health and safety and animal welfare

• relationships:

• supervisor.

Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational education and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.

Links

Companion Volumes, including Implementation Guides, are available at VETNet: - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=b75f4b23-54c9-4cc9-a5db-d3502d154103