Elephants enjoy zoo visitors, study suggests
Elephants were found to exhibit positive behaviours around visitors
At a glance
Research by Nottingham Trent and Harper Adams universities suggests elephants enjoy interacting with visitors at zoos
The study found indicators of boredom decreased during visits while social activity increased
However academics found not all animals in zoos react positively to visitors
Marsupials, Ostriches and hedgehogs were found to be negatively affected by visitors
- Published
Elephants at zoos enjoy interacting with visitors, according to a new study.
Research by Harper Adams and Nottingham Trent universities found that the animals' positive behaviours such as social activity increased around visitors, while indicators of boredom decreased.
The study found other animals, including grizzly bears, polar bears and penguins also benefitted.
However some zoo animals, such as marsupials, ostriches and other flightless birds were found to react negatively to visitors.
The study, published in the journal Animals, explored the impact of visitors at zoos on more than 250 animal species.
With elephants, researchers found that after public feedings the animals would forage more and become more active.
At the same time, repetitive behaviours, which suggest boredom, decreased when large groups of visitors were around.
Other species which displayed positive responses included grizzly bears, polar bears, cheetahs, servals, bantengs, black-tailed prairie dogs and cockatoos.
"Zoo visitors are often aspects of a zoo animal's environment that animals cannot control and as such can be stressful, although some species appear to show good adaptability for the changing conditions of visitors," said Dr Samantha Ward, from Nottingham Trent University.
"There can be a lot of variation in stimuli from visitors in terms of their behaviour, the noise they make and the way they interact with the animals.,
"We have identified that species show varied responses to people in zoos - some cope well, others not so well."
Animals like penguins, bears and cockatoos also engaged positively with visitors, the study found
Among the animals found not to cope so well were flightless birds, odd and even-toed ungulates, marsupials, tuatara and hedgehogs.
However the study found the reaction to visitors across all zoo animals was "predominantly neutral".
"Animal responses are attributed to various factors and recognising what these may be is important to improve welfare," said Dr Ellen Williams, a zoo animal welfare scientist at Harper Adams University in Shropshire.
"In elephants and birds it was encouraging to see a reduction in those repetitive behaviours towards something more positive in the presence of people, although the absence of change in the majority of species was also really good, because it suggests enclosure design is changing to better support animals in responding to visitors."