Case Study: Applying MHERA™ to Enhance the Wellbeing of a Red Panda.

Background

A young female Red Panda in a new zoological setting was observed to display reduced engagement with keepers and the environment, following her transfer from another facility. Care staff noted that while her physical health was stable, her emotional wellbeing appeared compromised. MHERA™ (Mood, Hedonic Budget, Emotionality, Reinforcement Analysis) was applied to assess and improve her welfare and wellbeing.

MHERA™ Framework Application

• Mood
  • The panda’s baseline mood state was characterized by low exploratory enthusiasm and heightened vigilance.  She appeared to be in a negatively valenced mood for weeks on end – in layman’s terms, she was showing signs of being depressed. 
  • Care staff reported that she often ignored novel enrichment, preferring predictable routines.
• Hedonic Budget
  • The hedonic budget measures the activation of systems in the brain that contributes to wellbeing. In this case, the panda’s budget was skewed:
    • Minimal investment in play, exploration, or social interaction (SEEKING, PLAY and CARE systems).The majority of her time was spent in a corner of her enclosure.  She appeared scared of guests and keepers and avoided any contact with the other animals around her.
  • This resulted in her overall mood state, which meant that even when positive opportunities were offered (new climbing structures, scent enrichment), her emotional “budget” was already depleted by defensive behaviours.
• Emotionality
  • The panda’s cognitive bias test showed that she was a Q4 individual: when presented with ambiguous stimuli she consistently interpreted them as threatening.
  • This bias affected her ability to engage in offered opportunities, as she viewed any changes as potentially harmful or dangerous.
• Reinforcement Analysis
  • By huddling in the corner of her enclosure, she gained a feeling of security, which helped to cope better when faced with people.

• Intervention Strategy
  • Hedonic Budget Rebalancing:
    • Introduced micro-positive experiences that required minimal emotional expenditure (e.g., hidden treats in familiar areas rather than novel puzzles).Gradually increased the complexity of enrichment once positive allocations stabilized.Mildly novel stimuli were paired with guaranteed high-value food rewards to slowly influence her bias from pessimism to optimism. (Example: a new scent was always paired with a favourite food item, teaching her that novelty could predict pleasure.) The rate of providing enrichment was slowed down to give her time to adjust. 
  • Reinforcement Restructuring:
    • Visual barriers were introduced to give her a choice about being on display. Several other safe corners were created.
    • Positive reinforcement was redirected toward exploratory behaviours (rewarding climbing or manipulation of enrichment items). She was also given one keeper as a primary caretaker, and the keeper spent time in the enclosure reading, giving her an opportunity to get comfortable with him. The keeper did not try to engage her but rather sat far away and gave her the choice to initiate interaction, if desired. 

• Outcomes
  • Within six weeks, the panda’s hedonic budget showed improvement:
    • Reduced allocation to vigilance behaviours (fewer avoidance responses).
    • Increased engagement in exploration, with observable curiosity toward enrichment.
    • Ambiguous stimuli were carefully approached rather than avoided, indicating a more optimistic appraisal of her environment.
    • Overall wellbeing improved, with staff reporting a more relaxed and engaged animal.

Key Takeaway

This case demonstrates how using MHERA™ supported the Care Staff so they could develop a program that was targeted specifically for what the Panda needed – no one-size-fits-all approach, but instead, a sensitive, supportive step by step approach.

By focusing on the hedonic budget and considering the cognitive bias that influenced how this animal perceived her environment, care staff were able to proceed at a pace that helped, instead of overwhelmed her. The framework highlighted that wellbeing is not simply about providing enrichment, but about ensuring the animal has the emotional ability to engage with it.