The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant changes to human life, but it also affected zoo animals, particularly primates, who experienced a sudden absence of visitors during lockdowns. A 2022 study explored how this shift impacted the behavior of bonobos, chimpanzees, western lowland gorillas, and olive baboons, revealing intriguing changes in their daily habits.
Visitor interactions are believed to play a critical role in the well-being of zoo animals, though the effects can be positive or negative. This study provided a rare opportunity to observe the primates’ behavior during extended periods without human visitors, offering valuable insights.
Conducted at Twycross Zoo and Knowsley Safari in the UK, researchers compared the behavior of these primates before and after visitors returned. They found that each species responded differently. For instance, when zoos reopened, bonobos and gorillas spent less time alone, while gorillas also reduced their resting time. On the other hand, chimpanzees increased their eating and interacted more with their enclosures. Olive baboons at the safari park showed less sexual and dominance behavior and approached visitor cars more frequently compared to ranger vehicles during the closure.
The implications of these behavioral changes are complex. While the return of visitors appeared to stimulate chimpanzees and baboons, the reduced resting time for gorillas who are naturally more sedentary could suggest disruption caused by the crowds. The fact that gorillas adjusted their enclosure use when visitors returned indicates that these animals can manage changes in their environment to some extent.
The study also identified a visitor number threshold for olive baboons, beyond which their activity levels stopped increasing, highlighting the nuanced impact of visitor presence.
Ellen Williams, a zoo animal welfare researcher, emphasized the importance of providing environments that allow animals to adapt actively, which is crucial for their welfare. The research offers essential data for understanding how visitor interactions influence zoo animals, contributing to better management and design of zoos and parks.
The researchers aim to continue studying the impact of visitor numbers on animal behavior, potentially expanding the study to include more species and a longer observation period.
The findings of this study were published in the journal Animals.
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