Page 306 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

278 11 Welfare Implications of Zoo Animal Training

VetBooks.ir of the area it was in. However, seeing that noting that animal welfare is not affected by
the narration, what is said to human visitors
same animal, perform the same behaviour in
a show which doesn’t contain any conserva-
iours does not impact the animals welfare,
tion messaging, might make some reflect when animals are performing trained behav-
that the ‘show’ is little more than a four letter only our perception of whether it is accept-
word (Martin 2000) and the animal’s welfare able (see Figure 11.4).
has been compromised. To be clear, the
welfare of the animal in these two different 11.5.1 Natural vs Non‐natural
scenarios is equal with respect to the behav- Behaviours
iour it has been trained to perform; there
might be welfare ramifications resulting In much the same way as we can confuse our
from visitor pressure in the show, but for the interpretation of a behaviour, with how it
most part, the animal has been similarly psy- might affect animal welfare (see above), there
chologically and physically challenged in is also a tendency to consider that ‘natural’
both situations. What has changed is how behaviours are inherently good for animal
we have perceived the behaviour. It is worth welfare, whereas ‘artificial’ behaviours will

Figure 11.4 Whether we call it a show, presentation, or demonstration, and whether there be a conservation
message or not, the impact on the animal’s welfare is the same. Source: Katharina Herrmann.