Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ttngx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-01T13:27:26.712Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effects of visitor density on sika deer (Cervus nippon) behaviour in Zhu-Yu-Wan Park, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2023

L Shen-Jin ,
PA Todd ,
Y Yan ,
Y Lin ,
F Hongmei  and
W Wan-Hong
L Shen-Jin*
Affiliation:
College of Agriculture and Forestry, Linyi Normal University, Linyi, 276005, Shandong, China College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China
PA Todd
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Science, National University of Singapore, 14, Science Drive 4, Singapore 117543, Singapore
Y Yan
Affiliation:
Shandong Linyi Agriculture Science Institute, Linyi, 225008, Shandong, China
Y Lin
Affiliation:
College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China
F Hongmei
Affiliation:
College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China
W Wan-Hong
Affiliation:
College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, Jiangsu, China
*
* Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: lvshenjin_yang@sina.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Visitors to zoos are a source of potential stress to certain captive-housed animals. Much research has focused on Europe and America, whereas the effect of human audiences on the behaviour of captive animals in Chinese parks has so far not been investigated. Sika deer (Cervus nippon) housed in Zhu-Yu-Wan Park, Yangzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China, were studied to determine the effect of different visitor density levels on the animals’ activity. From June 21 to December 10, 2006, and again from February 21 to July 10, 2007, 21 subjects were observed for 10 h per week for a total of 44 weeks. Continuous focal animal sampling was used to quantify behaviours, and visitor density was recorded every minute. Friedman's tests were used to examine the effects of visitor density on the behaviour of sika deer. Results showed that high visitor density was significantly related to foraging, resting, watching and ‘non-visible’ behaviours. The findings demonstrate that high numbers of visitors have an effect on the welfare of sika deer.

Keywords

animal welfarebehaviourChinaeffectssika deervisitor density
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 19 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 61 - 65
Copyright
© 2010 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Altman, J 1974 Observational study of behaviour: sampling methods. Behaviour 49: 227–267CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Birke, L 2002 Effects of browse, human visitors and noise on the behaviour of captive Orang Utans. Animal Welfare 11: 189–202Google Scholar
Burrell, K, Wehnelt, S and Waran, N 2004 Olfactory enrichment and visitor effects in black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) at two UK zoos. Proceedings of the 6th Annual Symposium on Zoo Research pp 187–201. 8-9 July 2004, Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, UKGoogle Scholar
Broom, DM 1985 Stress, welfare and the state of equilibrium. Proceedings of the 2nd European symposium on Poultry Welfare pp 72–81. 10-13 June 1985, Celle, GermanyGoogle Scholar
Carlstead, K and Shepherdson, D 1994 Effects of environmental enrichment on reproduction. Zoo Biology 13: 447–458CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, S and Hosey, GR 1995 Interaction sequences between chimpanzees and human visitors at the zoo. Zoo Biology 14: 431–440Google Scholar
Davis, N, Schaffner, CM and Smith, TE 2005 Evidence that zoo visitors influence HPA activity in spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyii rufiventris). Applied Animal Behaviour Science 90: 131–141Google Scholar
Fa, JE 1989 Influence of people on the behaviour of display primates. In: Segal, EF (ed) Housing, Care and Psychological Well-Being of Captive and Laboratory Primates. Noyes Publications: Park Ridge, USAGoogle Scholar
Guo, YS and Zheng, HZ 2000 On the geological distribution, taxonomic status of species and evolutionary history of sika deer in China. Acta Theriologica Sinica 20: 168–179Google Scholar
Hosey, GR 2000 Zoo animals and their human audience: what is the visitor effect? Animal Welfare 9: 343–357Google Scholar
Hosey, GR 2005 How does the zoo environment affect the behaviour of captive primates? Applied Animal Behavior Science 90: 107–129CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Humphries, RE, Smith, RH and Sibley, RM 1990 Effects of human disturbance on the welfare of park fallow deer. Applied Animal Behavior Science 28: 458–463Google Scholar
Mallapur, A, Sinha, A and Waran, N 2005 Influences of visitor presence on the behaviour of captive lion-tailed macaques (Macaca silenus) housed in Indian zoos. Applied Animal Behavior Science 94: 341–352CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Margulis, SW, Hoyos, C and Anderson, M 2003 Effects of felid activity on zoo visitor interest. Zoo Biology 22: 587–599Google Scholar
Mason, GJ 1991 Stereotypies: a critical review. Animal Behaviour 41: 1015–1037CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mench, JA and Mason, GJ 2000 Behaviour. In: Appleby, MC and Hughes, BO (eds) Animal Welfare pp 127–142. CAB International: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, G, Tromberg, CT, Kaufman, J, Bargabus, S, Simoni, R and Geissler, V 1992 More on the ‘influence’ of zoo visitors on the behaviour of captive primates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 35: 189–198CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nagata, J, Masuda, R, Kaji, K, Kaneko, M and Yoshida, MC 1998 Genetic variation and population structure of the Japanese sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Hokkaido island, based on mitochondrial D-loop sequences. Molecular Ecology 7: 871–877CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Owen, C 2004 Do visitors affect the Asian short-clawed otter Aonyx cinerea in a captive environment? Proceedings of the Sixth Annual Symposium on Zoo Research pp 202–211. 8-9 July 2004, Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, UKGoogle Scholar
Sellinger, RL and Ha, JC 2005 The effects of visitor density and intensity on the behaviour of two captive jaguars (Panthera onca). Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science 8: 233–244CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheng, HL 1992 Cervus nippon, in The Deer in China, Shanghai. East China Normal University Press: Shanghai City, ChinaGoogle Scholar
Skyner, LJ, Amory, JR and Hosey, G 2004 The effect of visitors on the self-injurious behaviour of a male pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus). Deer Zoologische Garten 74: 38–41Google Scholar
Snyder, RL 1975 Behavioural stress in captive animals. In: Rabb, G (ed) Research in Zoo and Aquariums pp 41–76. National Academy of Sciences: Washington DC, USAGoogle Scholar
Sunquist, M and Sunquist, F 2002 Wild Cats of the World. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USACrossRefGoogle Scholar
Todd, PA, Macdonald, C and Coleman, D 2007 Visitor-associated variation in captive Diana monkey (Cercopithecus diana diana) behaviour. Applied Animal Behavior Science 107: 162–165CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, XM, Ying, SQ, Xia, SZ and Jin, HY 2000 The time budget of captive Sambar (Cervus unicolor) in seminatural area. China Journal of Zoology 35: 50–53Google Scholar
Webster, JR and Matthews, LR 2006 Behaviour of red deer following antler removal with two methods of analgesia. Livestock Science 100: 150–158Google Scholar
Wells, DL 2005 A note on the influence of visitors on the behaviour and welfare of zoo-housed gorillas. Applied Animal Behavior Science 93: 13–17CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitehead, GK 1993 The Encyclopaedia of Deer. Swan Hill Press: Shrewsbury, UKGoogle Scholar
Whittington, CJ and Chamove, AS 1995 Effects of visual cover on farmed red deer behaviour. Applied Animal Behavior Science 45: 309–314CrossRefGoogle Scholar