Page 286 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

258 10 Making Training Educational for Zoo Visitors

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Figure 10.4 Macaw displaying wingspan (left) and feet (right) at Birdworld (UK). Source: Colin McKenzie.

Figure 10.5 Trained birds on donation boxes during the free flight bird show at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. Source:
Host 2008.

behaviours by hitting a plastic lizard against a specially‐designed boxes as part of the show
rock in return for a food reward. These (Figure 10.5). The funds raised were used for
behaviours were trained using positive an in situ project aimed at breeding and
reinforcement whereby if the bird performed releasing little penguins (Eudyptula minor)
the action they were rewarded with food. into the Sydney Harbour. Using positive rein-
At Taronga Zoo, Sydney (Australia), par- forcement, trainers conditioned native
rots were trained to collect monetary dona- Australian parrot species to collect, carry,
tions from the audience of the Free Flight and then deposit money (both paper notes
Bird Show, and to then place the money in and coins) from the viewing audience (Host