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Why Do People Like to Watch Animals in Captivity

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One thousand. Salas, X. Manteca

Zoos and other centres that agree wild animals in captivity confront different problems that can have a directly impact on the welfare of animals. Lack of space, social stress, presence of visitors, diseases and other health bug, and medical procedures are some of the main challenges facing zoos when they want to guarantee an optimal welfare status for the animals under their care.

Visitor upshot

The presence of visitors nearby the enclosure or, in some occasions, inside the facility or in close contact with the animals is a situation that animals face daily during the zoo open hours. The presence of people that are unfamiliar to the animals as well equally their movements, sounds and smells, all can elicit a stress response in the animals and may negatively affect their welfare.

The stress response is driven, along with other systems, past the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) centrality. The HPA axis releases glucocorticoids such as cortisol or corticosterone every bit part of the endocrine mechanism for self-protection of the body in the presence of a stressor. Cortisol or its metabolites tin exist quantified in different matrixes such as plasma, faeces, urine and saliva, and tin be used as a physiological indicator for the assessment of stress. The concentrations of cortisol or its metabolites, as well as the expression of certain behaviours accept been used as indicators to assess the event of visitor presence on fauna welfare.

On some occasions, it has been suggested that visitors do not take an axiomatic negative impact on the welfare in animals of a diverseness of species such as meerkats (Suricata suricatta), Kangaroo Island kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus), red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta), and crowned lemurs (Eulemur coronatus).

Even so, other studies take ended that the constant presence of unfamiliar people can produce stress and have a negative bear on on welfare. Specifically, an increase of aberrant behaviours has been observed as a consequence of the presence of visitors in dissimilar species such as the lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) and the jaguar (Panthera onca). Likewise, an increase in aggressive behaviours due to visitor presence has been described in jaguar and Indian gaur (Bos gaurus gaurus).

On other occasions, an increase in vigilance and visitor-avoidance behaviours was also considered negative for the welfare of unlike species such every bit siamangs (Hylobates syndactylus), white-cheeked gibbons (Hylobates leucogenys), and African penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

Finally, other studies, such equally one done with spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi rufiventris) and some other with Indian blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra 50.), have institute a positive correlation betwixt the number of visitors and the concentration of cortisol or its metabolites in dissimilar biological matrixes.

The described vigilance or alertness behaviours in some species could be interpreted as responses due to fearfulness, but likewise equally a form of curiosity towards visitors. In club to address this issue, some studies have complemented behavioural observations with physiological measures. For example, in a study on captive Mexican wolves (Canis lupus baileyi), the concentration of cortisol metabolites in faeces also every bit some behaviours (related with posture, eating and locomotion) were assessed during days with different zoo visitor attendance. Results showed that higher visitor presence was related with changes in behaviour of the wolves and with higher levels of faecal metabolite cortisol.

However, dissimilar conclusions were reached in a study with Kangaroo Island kangaroos and red kangaroos in free-range exhibits, which determined that there was no show of adverse furnishings on the welfare of these animals due to visitors. The authors found an increase in visitor-directed vigilance behaviour when company numbers were higher, but in that location was no effect of company number on the distance kangaroos positioned themselves from the visitor pathway or on the faecal glucocorticoid metabolites concentration in either species. They ended that the increase observed in visitor-directed vigilance behaviour could exist due to a natural instinct to check for movements in the surrounding area, only that this behaviour may non be related to a stress response unless a real threat is detected.

The furnishings of visitors on behaviour and stress response of animals are variable and depend on different factors, such as the species. Also, individuals of the same species may show very different responses to the presence of visitors due to the temperament or personality and the previous experiences of each brute. Some scientists argue that the possibility that in some occasions animals might accept been habituated to the presence of visitors needs to be considered.

How the visitor event tin can be mitigated

Several studies suggest that the negative company effect could exist mitigated if some measures are taken to further enrich the surroundings of the fauna. For example, existing enclosures can be modified and improved by the addition of barriers (such as camouflage nets) and subconscious spots or refuges that permit the animals to avoid visual contact with visitors.

In some species information technology has been suggested that when visitors notice the animals from above, their presence can be more than stressful than if they are at a lower level.

The movements and noise made past zoo visitors can take an effect on the stress response of animals. Therefore, didactics of the visitors and the utilize of signs to change visitor behaviour can decrease the negative visitor effect.

Another way to reduce the potential negative issue of visitors could be the improvement of the animals' perceptions of unfamiliar humans by fostering positive relationships with them.

Conclusion

Zoo visitors are a factor that may be a stress source for captive animals, especially if the animals do not have any kind of control over their surround, enrichment opportunities, or if the enclosure does non have an acceptable design that allows the animal to hide from the visitors' view if information technology chooses to.

References

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