Evaluation of factors affecting the behaviour of Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris) in captivity
The National Zoological Park (NZP), New Delhi is one of the large category zoos of the country housing a number of endangered species of animals. The zoo is visited by a large number of visitors every year. The zoo provides a naturalistic environment and other facilities like feed, healthcare, etc. to the captive animals. However, […]
A multi-enclosure study investigating the behavioural response of meerkats to zoo visitors
The scientific literature indicates that visitors may affect both the behaviour and welfare of zoo animals. Captive born slender-tailed meerkats, Suricata suricatta, at three exhibits were studied under two treatments (1) unregulated visitor behaviour and (2) regulated visitor behaviour, where signage was positioned requesting visitors to be quiet and not to interact with the animals. […]
Do not disturb: Visitors’ effect on the behavior and welfare of female and male big cats in zoos
Abstract The effect of visitor presence on animal behavior needs to be evaluated to ensure the welfare and improve the husbandry of the individuals in zoos. This study aims to assess the effect of visitor presence on the behavior and welfare of pairs of Amur tiger, snow leopard, and Eurasian lynx at Parco Natura Viva, […]
The Impact of Visitors on Non-Primate Species in Zoos: A Quantitative Review
Visitors are a prominent feature in the lives of zoo animals, and their presence can cause a range of impacts on zoo animals (typically classed as positive, negative or neutral impacts), commonly referred to as the ‘visitor effect’. This paper quantitatively collates the literature on the visitor effect in non-primate species, investigates the types of […]
Zoo‐housed mammals do not avoid giving birth on weekends
There is evidence that zoo visitor presence can influence the behaviour and, in some cases, adrenal response of zoo animals, and can sometimes compromise animal welfare. In some laboratory studies, significantly more primate births have been reported on weekends, when fewer people are working there, compared with weekdays when staffing levels are at their highest. […]
The influence of animal welfare accreditation programmes on zoo visitor perceptions of the welfare of zoo animals
In recent years, formal accreditation programmes based upon contemporary animal welfare science have been developed to assess animal welfare within zoos. Animal welfare is an important responsibility for any zoo, but does accreditation provide everyday zoo visitors with assurance about the welfare of the animals they encounter? To answer this question, a survey of visitors […]
The Ethical Assessment of Touch Pools in Aquariums by Means of the Ethical Matrix
Touch pools are popular open-topped fish tanks often found in aquariums where visitors may interact with animals, by touching and sometimes even feeding them, for educational and recreational purposes. However, although animal interactions are becoming increasingly popular in recent years, the welfare impact on the animals and the educational effectiveness of such interactions is under […]
A Protocol for the Ethical Assessment of Wild Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVIP) Evaluating Animal Welfare, Education, and Conservation Outcomes
Due to the popularity of wild animal–visitor interactions(AVIs),there is a need for an ethical assessment of their impact on animal welfare, education, and conservation. The protocol presented in this study is designed to evaluate such interactions on an integrated level, using a transparent analysis of all the aspects involved, including all the stakeholders and the […]
A Close Keeper–Nonhuman Animal Distance Does Not Reduce Undesirable Behavior in Contact Yard Goats and Sheep
This study investigated the relation between zookeeper-nonhuman animal distance and the undesirable behavior goats and sheep exhibited toward visitors of Zoo Atlanta’s contact yard. It hypothesized that a close distance between keeper and animal would be associated with a lower rate of undesirable behavior than would a distant keeper-animal distance. The study recorded rate of […]
Longitudinal study of delayed reproductive success in a pair of white-cheeked gibbons (Hylobates leucogenys)
Concern over a lack of breeding success in a pair of white-cheeked gibbons (Hylobates leucogenys) prompted a four-part study of gibbon behavior and physiology at the Lincoln Park Zoo. Data were collected to determine the female intermenstrual interval (IMI) and identify periods of peak receptivity. Subsequent behavioral data were gathered during both female menses and […]