Little penguins, Eudyptula minor, show increased avoidance, aggression and vigilance in response to zoo visitors

The presence of visitors has been found to be fear-provoking for little penguins, as indicated by increased vigilance, huddling and avoidance of the visitor viewing area and reductions in swimming.

“The presence of visitors has been found to be fear-provoking for little penguins as indicated by an increased vigilance, huddling and avoidance of the visitor viewing area and reductions in swimming [10].”

Penguins are a common zoo-housed species, especially little penguins in Australian zoos.

“Limited research has been conducted to examine the effects of visitors on zoo-housed penguins despite penguins being a commonly housed zoo species, especially little penguins (Eudyptula minor) in Australian zoos [3,10,11,12,13,14,15].”

One-day periods were selected because Sherwen et al. [10] found significant changes in penguin behaviour when treatments were imposed for 1-day periods.

“One-day periods were selected because Sherwen et al. [10] found significant changes in penguin behaviour when treatments were imposed for 1-day periods.”

The results are supported by two experiments on zoo-housed little penguins where the presence and close viewing proximity of visitors increased vigilance and avoidance behaviours and reduced preening in the water in little penguins at Melbourne Zoo.

“The results in the present study are supported by two experiments on zoo-housed little penguins where the presence and close viewing proximity of visitors increased vigilance and avoidance behaviours and reduced preening in the water in little penguins at Melbourne Zoo [3,10].”

Some types of visitor contact may be fear-provoking for little penguins.

“The findings from the present experiment at Taronga Zoo support those from the two previous experiments at Melbourne Zoo by the authors that some types of visitor contact may be fear-provoking [3,10].”

The two experiments at Melbourne Zoo found strong effects of reduced visitor contact on avoidance, huddling, vigilance, and surface swimming.

“While the present experiment found some relatively moderate effects of reduced visitor contact on avoidance and vigilance behaviour, the two experiments at Melbourne Zoo found strong effects of reduced visitor contact on avoidance, huddling and vigilance behaviour, as well as surface swimming.”

Closing the exhibit to visitors increased surface swimming in little penguins.

“Sherwen and colleagues [10] found that closing the exhibit to visitors increased surface swimming and Chiew and colleagues [3] found that increased separation between visitors and penguins increased surface swimming in little penguins.”

Little penguins displayed increased aggression, huddling and avoidance behaviours in response to visitor presence.

“another study found that little penguins displayed increased aggression, huddling and avoidance behaviours [14] in response to visitor presence.”

Sherwen et al. [14] found that the presence of visitors was fear-provoking but not specifically what aspect of visitors was responsible for this effect.

“The study by Sherwen, Magrath, Butler and Hemsworth [14] found that the presence of visitors was fear-provoking but not specifically what aspect of visitors was responsible for this effect.”

Some studies on zoo penguins have shown that the presence of visitors may be fear-provoking.

“Some studies on zoo penguins have shown that the presence of visitors may be fear-provoking.”

Two of the four studies on zoo-housed penguins found negative effects of visitors.

“Two of these studies found negative effects of visitors, where one study showed that African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) reduced their pond use [13], and another study found that little penguins displayed increased aggression, huddling and avoidance behaviours [14] in response to visitor presence.”

There have been only four studies to date that have investigated the effects of visitor presence on zoo-housed penguins.

“To our knowledge, there have been only four studies to date that have investigated the effects of visitor presence on zoo-housed penguins.”

In the zoo, penguins do not need to forage as their food is provided to them.

“However in the zoo, penguins do not need to forage as their food is provided to them [14].”

Little penguins increased behaviors indicative of visitor avoidance when exhibits were open to the public rather than closed.

“Related, studies focused on zoo-housed little penguins have revealed that little penguins (Eudyptula minor) increased behaviors indicative of visitor avoidance when exhibits were open to the public rather than closed [44], and the same species showed a reduction in fear-related behaviors when visitors were kept at a greater viewing distance [45] (this Issue).”

Avoidance of humans as a measure of fear of humans has been validated on the basis of findings of behavioural and physiological correlates of fear in animals.

“Avoidance of humans as a measure of fear of humans has been validated on the basis of findings of behavioural and physiological correlates of fear in animals [18] and avoidance behaviours have been widely used as an indicator of fear of humans in zoo animals [52,53].”

When visitors were blocked from an exhibit, little penguins showed less aggression, huddling and avoidance behaviour.

“When visitors were blocked from an exhibit, little penguins showed less aggression, huddling and avoidance behavior [53]”

Higher visitor numbers have been associated with less time spent swimming in little penguins and African penguins.

“less time spent swimming in little penguins [53] and African penguins [99].”

The presence of visitors was associated with an increase in hiding behaviour and distance from the visitor viewing area in little penguins.

“an increase in hiding behaviour and distance from the visitor viewing area in little penguins [53].”

Little penguins show variation in their behavioural responses towards zoo visitors in Australian zoos.

“Little penguins (Eudyptula minor), or Kororā in Māori, show variation in their behavioural responses towards zoo visitors in Australian zoos.”

Visitors are more likely to be perceived as threatening and thus increase little penguins' fear responses.

“As a result, visitors are more likely to be perceived as threatening and thus, increase little penguins' fear responses (Sherwen et al. 2015;Chiew, Butler, et al. 2019;Chiew et al. 2020).”

There is evidence from studies in Australian zoos that close visitor contact may be fear-provoking for zoo-housed little penguins.

“While still limited, there is evidence from studies in Australian zoos that close visitor contact may be fear-provoking for zoo-housed little penguins.”

Sherwen et al. (2015) found increases in huddling, vigilance, aggression and avoidance and reductions in swimming by little penguins when visitors were present at Melbourne Zoo.

“Sherwen et al. (2015) found increases in huddling, vigilance, aggression and avoidance and reductions in swimming by little penguins when visitors were present at Melbourne Zoo (Victoria, Australia).”

Close visitor contact or the close viewing proximity of visitors are characteristics of visitor contact that may be fear-provoking for zoo-housed little penguins.

“These characteristics include close visitor contact or the close viewing proximity of visitors (Sherwen et al. 2015;Chiew, Butler, et al. 2019;Chiew et al. 2020).”

Previous research has found that little penguins (Eudyptula novaehollandiae) in Australian zoos showed increased avoidance of the visitor viewing area when visitors were present, in close viewing proximity or when visual contact with visitors was unobstructed.

“Furthermore, previous research has found that little penguins (Eudyptula novaehollandiae) in Australian zoos showed increased avoidance of the visitor viewing area when visitors were present, in close viewing proximity or when visual contact with visitors was unobstructed (Sherwen et al. 2015;Chiew, Butler, et al. 2019;Chiew et al. 2020).”

Research on the effect of visitors on zoo-housed little penguins has focused thus far only on Australian zoo-housed little penguins.

“This is beginning to be observed in research on the effect of visitors on zoo-housed little penguins which has also focused, thus far, only on Australian zoo-housed little penguins (Sherwen et al. 2015;Chiew, Butler, et al. 2019;Chiew et al. 2020).”