Siamangs (Hylobates syndactylus) and White-Cheeked Gibbons (Hylobates leucogenys) Show Few Behavioral Differences Related to Zoo Attendance
Abstract
The effect of visitors on behavior and welfare of nonhuman animals in the zoo has been an active research topic during the last few decades. Although research has variously shown negative or positive impacts of zoo visitors on animals in captivity, previous primate research at Disney's Animal Kingdom suggests the importance of visual barriers in allowing animals to cope with large crowds. Examining this further, this study monitored the behavior of white-cheeked gibbons (Hylobates leucogenys) and siamangs (Hylobates syndactylus) in large, open exhibits. Behavioral data showed rates of social behavior and percentage of time engaged in solitary behavior did not differ between low and high visitor-attendance days. Both gibbons and siamangs spent more time in areas away from the public on high attendance days. Supporting previous findings, results imply visual barriers and ability to retreat from crowds may have provided these animals with choice and minimized potential negative visitor impact. Future research should focus on the relationship between attendance and actual crowds at exhibits; it should utilize multi-institutional methodologies to control for variance and look for individual and demographic differences between individuals.
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Increasing visitor numbers were associated with less time visible to the public in orangutans, jaguars and siamangs.
“increasing visitor numbers were associated with less time visible to the public in a range of species, including orangutans [77], jaguars [84] and siamangs [85].”
From The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare (2019) · cites this paper as [85]
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- Authors
- Smith, K. N., & Kuhar, C. W.
- Affiliations
- Walt Disney (United States) (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-03-23
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 154-163
- ISSN
- 1088-8705 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-7604
- OpenAlex
- W2103352023
- Cited by
- 27
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1
- FWCI
- 1.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Keywords
- siamang, Hylobates syndactylus, primate behavior, visual barriers, crowd avoidance, social behavior, solitary behavior, animal welfare, captive primates
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animal Husbandry, Animals, Zoo, Behavior, Animal, Female, Housing, Animal, Humans, Hylobates, Male, Social Behavior
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