Impacts of environmental and human disturbances on behaviour of captive kiwi (Apteryx mantelli)
We studied the behaviour of 15 captive brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli), and the effects of disturbance on their behaviour. They were all held in nocturnal display facilities, known in New Zealand as Kiwi Houses and referred to here as enclosures 1–4. Our detailed study first compiled a baseline assessment of normal behaviours of captive kiwi […]
Testing the minimum approach distance guidelines for incubating Royal penguins Eudyptes schlegeli
Minimum approach distance guidelines are common tools to maintain a buffer between breeding seabirds and human activity, with the goal of mitigating potentially harmful impacts from these interactions. We employed an experimental design to measure the heart rate and behaviour of Royal penguins on Macquarie Island, Australia, in response to a single pedestrian visit using […]
Comparing king, gentoo, and royal penguin responses to pedestrian visitation
For wildlife managers, determining inter-species differences in the behavioral responses of seabirds to visitation can allow greater efficacy of visitor guidelines. Two key management outcomes for such information include 1) tailoring visitor guidelines to protect the most sensitive species and 2) improving self-regulation during visits by identifying behaviors likely to indicate a change in the […]