Abstract
Simple SummaryAmbassador animals give zoo and aquarium visitors the opportunity to connect with nature, but it is important to assess the welfare of these animals while serving in this role. We conducted a study to determine whether guinea pigs housed in a publicly accessible habitat and serving as ambassador animals demonstrated any differences in welfare indicators compared to periods when they are housed off exhibit. We found that individual differences were the largest drivers of glucocorticoid levels, while sex and on- or off-exhibit housing did not have significant effects on mean levels. There were sex differences in variation of glucocorticoid levels. Moving between habitats did not elicit a significant hormone response except when females were moved off exhibit. Neither the amount of handling the animals received nor closure of the exhibit affected hormone levels. Guinea pig body weights were lower on average when on exhibit but did not otherwise significantly differ. Our results suggest that a monthly rotational schedule of exposure to the public does not negatively impact the physical and physiological indicators of welfare studied.Special encounters that allow contact between animals and guests are common in zoos and aquariums. Visitors to the Saint Louis Zoo may touch guinea pigs serving as ambassador animals. We evaluated two welfare indicators in ambassador guinea pigs by comparing glucocorticoid levels and body weights between periods when guinea pigs lived in a habitat accessible to the public and while off exhibit. Mean glucocorticoid levels did not differ between sexes or between on- and off-exhibit periods. There was significant individual variation, and females demonstrated greater variation than males. While on exhibit, glucocorticoid levels slightly but significantly increased in males and decreased in females. Moving guinea pigs between habitats only elicited a significant glucocorticoid response when females were moved off exhibit. Temporary closures of the exhibit had no effect on glucocorticoid levels in either sex. Analyses of the impact of handling rates on males found no impact on glucocorticoid levels. Guinea pigs’ body weights were lower while on exhibit. We conclude that guinea pigs serving as ambassador animals at the Saint Louis Zoo demonstrate comparable physiological profiles while on and off exhibit and, when used in a rotational schedule, are a suitable species for animal encounters involving contact with the public.
Highlights
Research and policy interest in the welfare of ambassador animals is stimulated by two salient features of their lives: First, ambassador animals come into direct or close contact with the public on a regular basis, while either in their habitats or when brought into the public’s space
We found no effect of sex (F1,13 = 2.01, p = 0.1798), location (F1,46 = 0.30, p = 0.5895) nor a significant interaction of these variables (F1,46 = 0.09, p = 0.7674) on mean fecal glucocorticoid concentrations (Ngpigs = 16, Nsamples = 344, Figure 2)
We analyzed the coefficient of variation in glucocorticoid levels to look for sex, location, and birth origin effects and found that females had significantly higher variation in glucocorticoid concentrations than males (F1,13 = 7.74, p = 0.0156, Ngpigs = 16, NCVs = 62, Figure 3)
Summary
Research and policy interest in the welfare of ambassador animals is stimulated by two salient features of their lives: First, ambassador animals come into direct or close contact with the public on a regular basis, while either in their habitats (e.g., for domestic animals in “petting zoos”) or when brought into the public’s space. Many different species are used as ambassador animals, and one might predict that domesticated species would be more comfortable with close, controlled interactions with the public. It is not clear whether interactions with the public have positive, negative, or neutral outcomes for individuals serving as ambassadors and whether domestication affects these outcomes. Ambassador animals may move among several enclosures regularly as part of educational programs, whereas exhibit animals typically occupy only one habitat
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.