Page 204 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

176 9 Us and Them: Human–Animal Interactions as Learning Events

VetBooks.ir reduced when the animals were provided have required that animals learn a new set
of conditions under which they might be
with a retreat space (Anderson et al. 2002);
similarly, use of a retreat space by dolphins
with and/or assume otherwise ‘normal’
Delphinus delphis in a swim‐with‐dolphins expected to interact, be in close proximity
programme increased when people were in behaviour in situations where previously
the pool (Kyngdon et al. 2003). In these cases only familiar people would be present. To
the animals appear to have learned that the date, we know very little about the impact
retreat space offers them refuge if they don’t of these encounters on the daily behaviour
want to interact with humans. and welfare of the animals taking part. For
animals managed within education pro­
grammes, these conditions might be consid­
9.3.4 The Changing Nature ered normal (reviewed Chapter 10); for
of Visitor Interactions with Animals
example ambassador animals are often
Visitors are increasingly interacting with trained to expect interactions with unfamil­
zoo animals at an ever more intimate level iar people in unfamiliar and potentially
with the widespread uptake of interactive unexpected circumstances. Data have been
educational experience (IEE), often referred published about the methods used to habit­
to as encounters. Though there is a high uate or train animals to engage under these
degree of variation between IEE offered conditions (again see Chapter 10). For
between zoos and with different animals, example, animals might be provided with
they typically include some, if not all of the food to encourage them into proximity with,
following characteristics: animals and unfa­ or into spaces near, unfamiliar people.
miliar people are brought into close proxim­ These interactive educational experiences
ity; often in off‐show areas where unfamiliar provide learning opportunities which might
people are not usually allowed to go; during require that the animals either expand their
times when the zoo would otherwise be categorisation of people, or the areas of
closed; and often animals are encouraged to their enclosure and times of day when they
interact with these unfamiliar people might be expected to interact or be active in
(Figure 9.2). The advent of these encounters the presence of unfamiliar people.

(a) (b)

Figure 9.2 An illustration of a paid interaction available for zoo visitors, with Sumatran tigers (a) and the same
animals initiating an interaction with their keeper (b). Source: (a) Vicki Melfi; (b) Sheila Roe.