Page 284 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

256 10 Making Training Educational for Zoo Visitors

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Figure 10.1 Sea lion show at Blackpool Zoo (UK) using unnatural objects to demonstrate adaptations such as
hunting. Source: Sarah Spooner.

the animal to perform in an unnatural way. crowd to herald the arrival of food (Watters
Often some form of animal feeding accom- 2014). This anticipation behaviour can be
panies these types of talks, which has the problematic as animals disrupt their behav-
advantage of increasing the likelihood that iour patterns in preparation for the food stim-
the visitor will have a clear view of the ani- ulus and, as a consequence, the behaviour
mals (Figure 10.2). However, since zoos can- presented to the public may not be one which
not fully mimic wild environments, the would be found in the wild (Jensen et al. 2013),
feeding behaviours displayed in captivity thereby becoming a performance as per our
may not be entirely natural (i.e. may repre- previous definition. Some zoos, such as
sent modifications of natural feeding behav- Chester Zoo (UK) aim to reduce anticipatory
iours, or incomplete repertoires). For behaviours by randomising their talk and
example, live vertebrate prey items are not feeding times (Bazley 2018). This insures that
allowed to be given to captive carnivores on when a combined talk and feed is given, the
welfare grounds in many (but not all) coun- animals are more likely to present in a natural
tries (DEFRA 2012), necessitating less natu- way. It is possible the animals still learn some
ral food provisioning (e.g. dead and processed stimuli associated with talk times but these
meat items), and preventing the full reper- are limited. In contrast, the downside is that,
toire of feeding behaviours from being exhib- for visitors who seek information in the form
ited by the animal. A diverse range of feeding of a talk on a particular species, these are
enrichment strategies are available and used restricted and variable, depending on the day.
by most zoos in order to promote more Increasing the complexity of a presentation
natural feeding behaviours. beyond simply interpreting a feeding event
Similarly, the regular provision of food at a typically requires the use of some trained
specific time and place can risk the develop- animals. Free flying bird shows are popular
ment of anticipation behaviours (and poten- in zoos and bring animals up close to the
tially stereotypies) where the animal associates audience in order to better display special-
the presence of a keeper or an increasing ised adaptations. Examples of this include