عنوان

Behavioral Monitoring of Big Cats Involved in 'Behind-the-Scenes' Zoo

Number

LA5xv8p6hp

.Language of Text, Soundtrack etc

انگلیسی

Title Proper

Behavioral Monitoring of Big Cats Involved in 'Behind-the-Scenes' Zoo

General Material Designation

[Article]

First Statement of Responsibility

Szokalski, Monika S.; Foster, Wendy K.; Litchfield, Carla A.

Text of Note

While interactive tours have been argued to hold great conservation potential for zoo visitors, the influence on the participating animal's behavior is often ignored. To investigate this, we observed the behavior of one Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) and three African lions (Panthera leo leo) involved in a protected contact tour, as well as that of three cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) involved in a hands-on tour, at Zoos South Australia. Instantaneous scan sampling (30-s intervals) was used to record animal behavior before, during, and after behind-the-scenes tours, as well as for equivalent times on non-tour days, over a three-month period. Estimated proximity (close, < 2 m; moderate, 2-5 m; and distant, > 5 m) to humans was also recorded as an indirect measure of interaction. The animals in the protected contact tour displayed decreased inactivity and increased feeding and pacing during the tours, compared to before and after. We suggest that the increased pacing is more associated with the animals being fed during the tours, rather than the tours being a stressful experience. Those in the hands-on tour showed variation in proportions of multiple behavior categories and primarily these were shifts in species-typical behaviors. In contrast to those in the protected contact tour, they showed decreased pacing during the tour sessions. No aggressive or otherwise antagonistic behaviors directed at humans were observed by animals in either tour, with these animals typically spending more than half of their tour times in distant proximity to keepers and visitors. Combined, these findings indicate that large felid behavior may be altered by participation in interactive tours, but that these changes are not necessarily indicative of compromised wellbeing. Additional research is needed to determine the impact that these experiences are having on the welfare of the animals. This study reinforces the potential for behavioral monitoring to be used as a method for assessing the influence of visitors on zoo animals.

Date of Publication

2013

Title

International Journal of Comparative Psychology

Volume Number

26/1

Entry Element

Szokalski, Monika S.; Foster, Wendy K.; Litchfield, Carla A.

Electronic name

[Article]

275578

a

Y