Dylan Bettencourt
When the public was not allowed to visit zoos during the Covid-19 lockdown, baboons used their free time to get up to some serious monkey business.
Local newspaper The Times reported that researchers found that olive baboons in British zoos had more sex and demonstrated more dominant behaviour during the pandemic period.
“Primates are some of the most cognitively advanced species in zoos and their interactions with visitors are complex,” said Samantha Ward, a zoo animal welfare scientist at
Nottingham Trent University’s School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences.
“A limitation to understanding how visitors can affect the behaviour of animals in zoos and parks is that they are rarely closed to the public for prolonged periods, so this provided us with a unique opportunity.”
After researchers found that animals in zoos had a lot more fun when no one was watching, the team sought to track the animals’ behaviour once visitors were let in again.
Chimpanzees ate a lot more, gorillas spent less time all by themselves and rested a lot less when zoos reopened, the study revealed.
The interaction between humans and animals during zoo visits is seen as crucial to the welfare of the animals.
This is shown by chimpanzees and baboons appearing a lot more content with the presence of the public.
Gorillas spending less time alone and more time with a group is considered a positive reaction to humans.
However researchers admitted the drop in rest time for the animals could suggest they were disrupted by visitors.
“Our study showed the varied ways in which visitors can influence the behaviour of primates in captivity,” said Dr Ellen Williams, a zoo animal welfare researcher at Harper Adams University.
“Behavioural changes and changes in enclosure use in the presence of visitors highlight the adaptability of zoo species to their environments.”
Image source: @CritterFacts
