Human speech reduces pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea) feeding and resting at a Peruvian tourist site, with louder volumes decreasing visibility
Abstract Although potentially beneficial in terms of raising awareness and conservation funding, tourist visitation of wild primates can have negative impacts on visited groups. Tourism-generated noise is a relatively understudied facet of ecotourism research, and the effects of tourist-generated speech on free-ranging, wild primates has never been explored previously. This study investigates the behavioral responses […]
Habituation potential of yellow-eyed penguins depends on sex, character and previous experience with humans
Animal populations are increasingly challenged by anthropogenic environmental changes. Species, populations and individuals vary in their ability to cope with exposure to human proximity. However, little is known about what drives habituation or sensitization in wild populations. Via behavioural observations and heart rate telemetry during experimental disturbance, we determined the habituation potential of yellow-eyed penguins, […]
Behavioral and hormonal responses of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) to tourism and nest site visitation
One of the results of human disturbance at seabird colonies may be the provocation of the typical vertebrate adrenocortical response to stressors, but there have been few studies that demonstrate this. The present study demonstrates that simple human presence at the nest site, without effects of capture or handling, is physiologically stressful for breeding Magellanic […]
Physiological and Behavioral Differences in Magellanic Penguin Chicks in Undisturbed and Tourist-Visited Locations of a Colony
Studies examining anthropogenic effects on wildlife typically focus on adults and on behavioral responses rather than the physiological consequences of human disturbances. Here we examined how Magellanic Penguin ( Spheniscus magellanicus) chicks living in either tourist-visited or undisturbed areas of a breeding colony were affected by human visitation by comparing the baseline and stress-induced levels […]
Food-web structure and ecosystem services: insights from the Serengeti
The central organizing theme of this paper is to discuss the dynamics of the Serengeti grassland ecosystem from the perspective of recent developments in food-web theory. The seasonal rainfall patterns that characterize the East African climate create an annually oscillating, large-scale, spatial mosaic of feeding opportunities for the larger ungulates in the Serengeti; this in […]
Physiological and reproductive consequences of human disturbance in Humboldt penguins: The need for species-specific visitor management
Over the last decade the Humboldt penguin, Spheniscus humboldti, has become a focus for ecotourism. Current management applies visitor guidelines similar to those developed for Magellanic penguins, Spheniscus magellanicus. However, unlike these, Humboldt penguins are extremely sensitive to human presence. Breeding success was significantly reduced at frequently visited sites. Heart rate telemetry during disturbance experiments […]
The response of marine tucuxis (Sotalia fluviatilis) towards tourist boats involves avoidance behaviour and a reduction in foraging
Marine ecotourism has undergone worldwide expansion in recent years, leading to increased concern regarding the impact on the environment. Despite this, however, few studies into the potential effect of tourist boats on dolphin welfare, have been carried out. In order to evaluate the impact of these activities on the presence and foraging behaviour of the […]
The Customer Isn’t Always Right-Conservation and Animal Welfare Implications of the Increasing Demand for Wildlife Tourism
Tourism accounts for 9% of global GDP and comprises 1.1 billion tourist arrivals per annum. Visits to wildlife tourist attractions (WTAs) may account for 20-40% of global tourism, but no studies have audited the diversity of WTAs and their impacts on the conservation status and welfare of subject animals. We scored these impacts for 24 […]
Proximity and animal welfare in the context of tourist interactions with habituated dolphins
The long-term sustainability of wildlife tourism depends on integrating visitor demands with resource management, requiring an understanding of tourist motivation. Managing the conflict between access to the animals and welfare, however, may diminish the experience for tourists. This paper identifies trade-offs tourists are willing to make between access and animal welfare, associated with feeding habituated […]