A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response
Negative visitor behaviour in zoos such as banging, shouting and feeding animals are unwanted, but under-studied, visitor actions. It is not known how prevalent negative behaviour is, which species or enclosure type receives the most negative behaviour or how these behaviours affect zoo-housed anima...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023040860 |
| _version_ | 1797805806010236928 |
|---|---|
| author | Courtney Collins Sean McKeown Ruth O’Riordan |
| author_facet | Courtney Collins Sean McKeown Ruth O’Riordan |
| author_sort | Courtney Collins |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Negative visitor behaviour in zoos such as banging, shouting and feeding animals are unwanted, but under-studied, visitor actions. It is not known how prevalent negative behaviour is, which species or enclosure type receives the most negative behaviour or how these behaviours affect zoo-housed animals. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of negative visitor behaviour, using an innovative methodology, was conducted at 25 different enclosures at Fota Wildlife Park, Ireland. Additionally, animal activity level and out of sight behaviour was observed. Descriptive statistics and general linear models were used to investigate which variables affected behaviour. Banging was the most common negative behaviour, while Humboldt penguins, lion-tailed macaques and Sumatran tigers were the most harassed species. Negative actions increased as visitor number increased and at traditional-style viewing areas. Active animal behaviour and out of sight animals were effected as negative visitor behaviours increased, but there appeared to be a tolerance threshold before a behavioural response was observed. By understanding negative behaviours, zoos can strive to reduce them and promote positive animal welfare. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:57:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-213a8313b6384bdeb385d3689110167c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T05:57:37Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-213a8313b6384bdeb385d3689110167c2023-06-13T04:12:36ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-06-0196e16879A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural responseCourtney Collins0Sean McKeown1Ruth O’Riordan2School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, Ireland; Corresponding author.Fota Wildlife Park, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork, IrelandSchool of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Environmental Research Institute, University College Cork, IrelandNegative visitor behaviour in zoos such as banging, shouting and feeding animals are unwanted, but under-studied, visitor actions. It is not known how prevalent negative behaviour is, which species or enclosure type receives the most negative behaviour or how these behaviours affect zoo-housed animals. In this study, a comprehensive assessment of negative visitor behaviour, using an innovative methodology, was conducted at 25 different enclosures at Fota Wildlife Park, Ireland. Additionally, animal activity level and out of sight behaviour was observed. Descriptive statistics and general linear models were used to investigate which variables affected behaviour. Banging was the most common negative behaviour, while Humboldt penguins, lion-tailed macaques and Sumatran tigers were the most harassed species. Negative actions increased as visitor number increased and at traditional-style viewing areas. Active animal behaviour and out of sight animals were effected as negative visitor behaviours increased, but there appeared to be a tolerance threshold before a behavioural response was observed. By understanding negative behaviours, zoos can strive to reduce them and promote positive animal welfare.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023040860ZooVisitorsNegative behaviourAnimal behaviourCircuit-study |
| spellingShingle | Courtney Collins Sean McKeown Ruth O’Riordan A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response Heliyon Zoo Visitors Negative behaviour Animal behaviour Circuit-study |
| title | A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response |
| title_full | A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response |
| title_fullStr | A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response |
| title_full_unstemmed | A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response |
| title_short | A comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals' behavioural response |
| title_sort | comprehensive investigation of negative visitor behaviour in the zoo setting and captive animals behavioural response |
| topic | Zoo Visitors Negative behaviour Animal behaviour Circuit-study |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023040860 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT courtneycollins acomprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse AT seanmckeown acomprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse AT ruthoriordan acomprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse AT courtneycollins comprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse AT seanmckeown comprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse AT ruthoriordan comprehensiveinvestigationofnegativevisitorbehaviourinthezoosettingandcaptiveanimalsbehaviouralresponse |