Impacts of visitor number on Kangaroos housed in free-range exhibits

摘要: Free range exhibits are becoming increasingly popular in zoos as a means to enhance interaction between visitors and animals. However very little research exists on the impacts of animal behaviour stress free exhibits. We investigated effects visitor number physiology Kangaroo Island (KI) Kangaroos, Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus, Red rufus, housed two Australian zoos. Behavioural observations were conducted individual kangaroos at each site using instantaneous scan sampling record activity (e.g., vigilance, foraging, resting) distance from pathway. Individually identifiable faecal samples collected end study day analysed for glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentration. When increased, both KI Kangaroos increased time spent engaged visitor-directed vigilance also locomotion decreased resting. There was no effect positioned themselves pathway or FGM concentration either species. While there limitations interpreting these results terms fear visitors, evidence adverse welfare groups based avoidance under numbers that we studied.