Abstract: Environmental enrichment is a core measure for improving the welfare of laboratory animals and ensuring the quality of scientific data. Its development stems from the negative impacts of monotonous cage environments on animal health and research outcomes. This paper systematically elaborates on the theoretical and practical framework of environmental enrichment for laboratory animals. First, it clarifies the core definition of enrichment as the process or measure of providing appropriate environmental stimuli to promote natural behaviors and reduce abnormal behaviors in animals. It emphasizes the need to tailor enrichment programs based on species-specific characteristics and age, with safety as the primary prerequisite. Second, environmental enrichment is categorized into four types: social environment, housing environment, animal activity, and cage space. The implementation key points and core objective of each type are detailed, highlighting that enrichment should be integrated into behavioral management plans and be consistent with the 3R principles. Furthermore, the relationship between enrichment and experimental variability is explored. Appropriate enrichment neither systematically alters within experiment variation nor compromise the reproducibility of experimental result ; only improper enrichment may increase outcome variability. Finally, the assessment is conducted from two aspects: potential risks and value balance. It is proposed that the validity of enrichment should be evaluated based on factors such as animal usage conditions,methods of use, and impacts on research. Studies indicate that scientific environmental enrichment is not only an ethical requirement for ensuring laboratory animal welfare, but also an important means to improve the reliability and promotion value of scientific research data, which ultimately helps to promote the development of high-quality scientific research.

Key words: laboratory animals, animal welfare, environmental enrichment

摘要： 环境丰容是优化实验动物福利、保障科研数据质量的核心举措,其发展起源于群居动物饲养于单一笼养环境 后,机体健康与科研结果受到不良影响这一问题。系统阐释实验动物环境丰容的理论框架与实践体系。明确环境 丰容核心内涵:依托适配的环境丰容条件,诱导动物表现自然行为、削减异常行为的整套流程与实施方法。同时指 出,需结合动物物种、日龄等生物学特质开展个性化环境丰容设计,且以安全作为落地实施的首要前提。本文将环 境丰容分为社群丰容、设施丰容、活动丰容、笼具空间丰容四大类型,逐一阐明各类丰容实施要点与核心管控目标, 提出需将丰容措施纳入动物行为管理方案,严格恪守实验动物福利基本原则。进一步探究环境丰容与实验结果变 异性的内在关系:规范适宜的环境丰容措施不会加剧组内实验数据系统性偏差,也不会降低实验结果可重复性;反 之,不合理环境丰容会进一步放大实验数据差异。最后,基于潜在风险、价值平衡双重维度分析,提出结合动物饲 养使用情况、环境丰容实施方案、科研结果影响多项指标,综合评价环境丰容应用成效。研究证实,科学化环境丰 容既是践行实验动物福利规范的伦理要求,也是提升科研数据可靠性与应用推广价值的关键路径,助力高质量科 研工作推进。

关键词: 实验动物, 动物福利, 环境丰容