Widespread Behavioral Responses by Mammals and Fish to Zoo Visitors Highlight Differences between Individual Animals
The impact that humans have on zoo animals can vary based on the species of animal, exhibit design, and individual differences in behavioral responses. We independently analyzed data from 10 never-published studies that examined the impact of zoo visitors on zoo animal behavior. Of the 16 species studied, 90.9% of the mammal species and 60.0% […]
Choice, Control and Computers: Empowering Wildlife in Human Care
The purpose of this perspective paper and technology overview is to encourage collaboration between designers and animal carers in zoological institutions, sanctuaries, research facilities, and in soft-release scenarios for the benefit of all stakeholders, including animals, carers, managers, researchers, and visitors. We discuss the evolution of animal-centered technology (ACT), including more recent animal-centered computing to […]
Behavioural response of zoo-housed Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) to changes in exhibit and social group
Moving animals to a new exhibit within a zoo is generally done with that animal’s well-being in mind. However, there are many factors that need to be considered when evaluating changes in well-being associated with environmental changes, such as the amount of time needed to habituate to the novel environment, and, for social animals, the […]
Developing a Metric of Usable Space for Zoo Exhibits
The size of animal exhibits has important effects on their lives and welfare. However, most references to exhibit size only consider floor space and height dimensions, without considering the space afforded by usable features within the exhibit. In this paper, we develop two possible methods for measuring the usable space of zoo exhibits and apply […]
Facility design for Bachelor Gorilla groups
This paper emerged from discussions following the Bachelor Gorilla 2000 Workshop Facility Design sessions. Although many ape facility design features are common to all gorillas, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of special needs of bachelor gorillas. For example, managing escalating aggression between maturing or silverback males may require a high […]
Public perceptions of behavioral enrichment: Assumptions gone awry
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1998)17:63.3.CO;2-N More and more, zoos are integrating behavioral enrichment programs into their management routines. Given the newness of such programs on an official level, however, there are an increasing number of enrichment decisions based on assumption. Enrichment is typically not provided on exhibit, especially for exhibits considered to be more naturalistic, because it is […]
Cage location effects on visitor attendance at three Sacramento Zoo mangabey enclosures
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430090107.abs Research on the effects of enrichment would do well to consider carefully location and/or visitor habituation effects on animal behavior. In the present series of studies, 19,847 visitors to the Sacramento Zoo were counted and categorized by age and sex as they appeared at each of three mangabey cages having only slightly different […]
Relationships between exhibit naturalism, animal visibility and visitor interest in a Chinese Zoo
Efforts to meet the welfare needs of captive animals (such as the provision of environmental enrichment and naturalistic furnishings) often compromise visitors’ needs (naturalistic exhibits often decrease the visibility of animals on display even though visitors pay to view them). The literature offers different predictions about how zoo visitors respond to decreased animal visibility in […]