Effects of the presence of zoo visitors on zoo-housed little penguins (Eudyptula minor)
Little penguins (Eudyptula minor), or Kororā in Māori, show variation in their behavioural responses towards zoo visitors in Australian zoos. We experimentally examined the effects of visitor presence on the behaviour and stress physiology of little penguins at Wellington Zoo, New Zealand. The two treatments were: (1) Visitor presence – the exhibit was open to […]
Effect of Covering a Visitor Viewing Area Window on the Behaviour of Zoo-Housed Little Penguins (Eudyptula minor)
Studies on the effects of visitors on zoo animals have shown mixed findings and as a result, the manner in which visitors affect zoo animals remains unclear for many species, including a rarely studied taxa such as penguins. Penguins are a common zoo-housed species and have been shown to display huddling, vigilance and avoidance towards […]
Effects of Regulating Visitor Viewing Proximity and the Intensity of Visitor Behaviour on Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) Behaviour and Welfare
We examined the effects of regulating the viewing proximity of visitors and the intensity of visitor behaviour on behaviours indicative of fear and stress physiology of 15 zoo-housed little penguins (Eudyptula minor). A 2 × 2 factorial fully randomised design was used to examine the effectsofregulating: (1)the viewing proximity of visitors to enclosure ,‘normal viewing […]
Balance: a neglected factor when attaching external devices to penguins
We observed that external attachments on penguins reduced their balance, which may be of as great concern to the individuals as the effect of increased drag. Little penguin Eudyptula minor swimming activity was observed in captivity at the Penguin Parade Phillip Island, Australia. Initially, time-depth recorders (TDRs) were attached centrally to the lower back of […]
Validation of an assay to measure glucocorticoid metabolites in the droppings of little penguins (Eudyptula minor)
Monitoring adrenal activity can provide insight into an animal’s physiological state and can be assessed non-invasively via excreta (e.g. bird droppings). However, before this technique can be used, it needs to be validated for each species. In this study, we biologically validated an assay for monitoring adrenocortical activity via faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) in little […]