The Benefits of Increased Space and Habitat Complexity for the Welfare of Zoo-Housed King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums embrace animal welfare as a foundational principle of habitat design. Modern habitats are designed to provide animals with choices and agency over their environment, and to encourage species-appropriate behavior and space use. In 2016, the Detroit Zoological Society opened the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, […]
Validation and welfare assessment of flipper-mounted time-depth recorders for monitoring penguins in zoos and aquariums
The time that penguins devote to aquatic behaviors likely has important implications for their welfare in zoos and aquariums. For decades, field researchers have used time-depth recorders (TDRs) to understand the behavior of penguins at sea. However, zoos and aquariums have rarely used these tools, and wearing devices can potentially affect animals negatively by causing […]
Effects of attached data-loggers on the activity budgets of captive Humboldt penguins
Abstract Although they can provide valuable information on at-sea ecology, data-loggers may adversely affect energetics, diving performance, and breeding success of equipped birds. With the aim of determining the effects of leg-attached data-loggers on the activity budgets of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) while on land, we equipped birds kept at the Landau Zoo, Landau, Germany, […]