Endocrine Changes in Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) Pups Undergoing Rehabilitation
Rehabilitating pinniped pups are often admitted to care centers as neonates and generally lack maternal investment and are in poor body condition. Upon admittance to a rehabilitation facility, pups are typically fed a milk replacement formula via gavage, which is switched to frozen fish upon weaning. While rehabilitation has been successful in terms of recovery […]
The influence of zoo visitor numbers on the behaviour of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)
We investigated the influence of zoo visitor numbers on the behaviour of a group of eight harbour seals at Antwerp Zoo. The behaviour of the seals was monitored using instantaneous scan sampling. Visitor presence at the enclosure was also monitored instantaneously. Additionally, daily visitor numbers for the zoo were gathered. We related seal behaviour to […]