Der Einfluss von Zoobesuchern auf das Verhalten und die Speichel-Corticosteronkonzentrationen von Zootieren

Abstract: This study investigated the effects of human visitors on behaviour and salivary corticosterone concentrations of captive animals. The behaviour of white rhinos (7 M, 3 F) and bush-pigs (2 F) kept at the Allwetterzoo Munster was observed from June to October 1999. In addition, saliva was collected from all animals to measure the concentrations of corticosterone by radioimmunoassay. According to the number and the behaviour of the visitors the observation days were classified as “empty" or “full", “quiet" or “loud" and “inconspicuous" or “conspicuous". On “conspicuous" and “loud" days the rhinos showed less resting behaviour and more comfort behaviour. The bushpigs, on the contrary, showed more visitor directed behaviour and stayed longer in close proximity to the spectators on “full"/”loud" and “conspicuous" days. The salivary corticosterone concentrations of both species were not affected by the visitors' performance. Thus, the visitors obviously did not represent a stressor for the animals. For the bushpigs they even were an enrichment of their environment.