Behavioral Effects of Visitor Presence on Six Reptile Species
Like many people, life changed for zoo animals in 2020 when the world temporarily shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although their care was the same, no zoo guests were present during these shutdowns. Zoo guests can be a source of visual, auditory and olfactory stimulation that may be beneficial for some zoo animals or a potential source of stress for others. Although research with mammals has been ongoing for years, there is little information on how zoo guests impact the welfare of reptiles. The Holden Reptile Conservation Center at the Detroit Zoo was an ideal location to begin looking into this welfare question. We selected six species of reptiles (Catalina Island rattlesnake – Crotalus catalinensis, European glass lizard – Pseudopus apodus, beaded lizard – Heloderma horridum, Sonoran spiny-tailed iguana – Ctenosaura macrolopha, Arrau turtle – Podocnemis expansa and dwarf caiman – Paleosuchus palpebrosus) in four habitats based on their natural histories and an annual assessment of their welfare completed by the reptile care staff. We observed these reptiles during the temporary zoo closure and when the Zoo reopened to guests. Although the majority of the reptiles showed neutral changes to the Zoo reopening, a few had more pronounced changes in behavior. The Catalina Island rattlesnakes showed increases in the time they spent investigating and their behavioral diversity. However, the European glass lizards showed decreases in the time spent visible and their evenness of space use. The lizards’ decrease in visibility was especially noticeable when there was an increase in zoo guests interacting with the glass habitat front. These results provide an initial understanding of how zoo guests may impact reptiles in a zoo setting.