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Effects of Visitor Presence on the Behavior of Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina) and California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus)

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Effects of Visitor Presence on the Behavior of Harbor Seals (Phoca Vitulina) and California Sea Lions (Zalophus Californianus) Effects of visitor presence on the behavior of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Amber de Vere*¹, Malin. Lilley¹, Lauren Highfill² *[email protected]. ¹Marine Mammal Behavior & Cognition Laboratory, University of Southern Mississippi ²Department of Psychology, Eckerd College Introduction Results (cont.) Results (cont.) ❖Animal welfare is extremely important in managed care facilities Table 2: Discriminant function analyses for each harbor seal, with Figure 2: California sea lion behavior in the presence and ❖The presence of large numbers of visitors in these facilities has the demographic information, function significance, and behavioral loadings. absence of visitors. potential to impact welfare *denotes p<0.05. 30 ❖The effects of visitors in several taxa, such as primates, are well studied¹ Harbor seal 1 2 3 4 Visitors Absent ❖Despite many other welfare concerns for captive marine mammals, they 25 are extremely understudied in this area Age (years) 11 10 2 1 Visitors Present ❖Pinnipeds exhibit complex behavioral repertoires and cognitive abilities Sex Female Female Female Female 20 and are a common taxon in in facilities worldwide p value <0.001* <0.001* 0.001* 0.001* 15 ❖However, only a single study exists examining effects of visitors on any Scan in Water 0.964 0.918 0.963 0.747 pinniped species Object Obstruction -0.252 -0.295 -0.336 -0.651 10 ❖As visitor number increased, harbour seals were more likely to swim Follow per Focal Average Frequency Average underwater than at the surface, and engaged in fewer social behaviors² 5 ❖Wild pinnipeds have been known to have greater behavioral reactions to Figure 1: Harbor seal behavior in the presence and absence loud, intense tourists³, such as those likely to be present at zoos of visitors. 0 Rest on Land Scan on Land Scan in Water Surface Swim Pattern Swim ❖There is therefore a need for further assessments of visitor effects on the 25 behavior of captive pinnipeds Visitors Absent Behavior ❖Such assessments would have visitor management implications from both 20 an animal welfare and visitor entertainment perspective Visitors Present Conclusions 15 Aims ❖The behavior of both species was altered in the presence of visitors per Focal Follow per Focal 10 ❖All harbor seals conformed to the group level pattern 1. Assess a zoo pinniped population for changes in behavior during Frequency Average ❖None were obstructed by objects during visitor presence periods of visitor presence and absence 5 ❖All increased scanning in water 2. Assess behavioral changes at both the group and individual levels ❖Visitors can buy fish to throw to animals, so likely reflects 3. Assess two species: California sea lions and harbor seals 0 conditioning of seal response to visitors Scan in Water Object Obstruction ❖May indicate that visitor presence therefore provides Methods Behavior entertainment and enrichment for seals ❖Two California sea lions did not exhibit significant behavioral differences in Subjects Table 3: California sea lion discriminant function analysis, with function the presence of visitors ❖Seal Cove exhibit at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo CA significance and behavioral loadings. *denotes p<0.05. ❖Affected sea lions are a mother-pup pair, in which the ❖4 California sea lions (2 male, males 0.2 years, females 14.5 years) mother has had multiple previous pups ❖4 harbor seals (4 females, 6.0 years) Function 1 ❖Spent more time on land, both resting and scanning p value <0.001* ❖Likely reflects movement away from visitors Data Collection Rest on Land 0.861 ❖Potentially negative welfare implications, despite reduction ❖Two 7.5 minute focal follows per animal, per day Scan on Land 0.675 in repetitive pattern swimming behavior ❖Total 60.4 hours of video recordings ❖Unaffected pair are a first time mother and her pup ❖Duration of 13 behaviors coded Scan in Water -0.575 ❖Substantial behavioral variation in both species, particularly sea lions ❖Recorded maximum number of visitors present during each focal follow Surface Swim 0.428 ❖Overall potentially positive impact of visitors on harbor seals Pattern Swim -0.365 ❖Potential negative impact on one mother-pup California sea lion pair, but Data Analysis not on the other pair, and no impact on nursing ❖Visitor number collated into two categories: visitors presence or absent Table 4: Discriminant function analyses for each California sea lion, with ❖Highlights the importance of providing choice in exhibit design ❖Discriminant function analyses (DFAs) used to account for inter-related demographic information, function significance, and behavioral ❖Future research is required to assess a greater number of individuals, in a behavioral variables loadings. *denotes p<0.05. variety of facilities with different visitor setups ❖DFA conducted for each species, and each individual California sea lion 1 2 3 4 References Results Age (years) 20 0.2 9 0.2 Sex Female Male Female Male 1. Stoinski, T.S., Jaicks, H.F., Drayton, L.A. (2012). Visitor effects on the behavior of captive Western lowland gorillas: the importance of individual differences in examining welfare. Zoo Biology, 31(5), 586-599. Table 1: Harbor seal discriminant function analysis, with function p value 0.015* 0.024* 0.069 0.376 2. Stevens, J.M.G., Thyssen, A., Laevens, H., Vervaecke, H. (2013). The influence of zoo visitor numbers on the significance and behavioral loadings. *denotes p<0.05. behaviour of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina). Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research, 1(1), 31-34. Rest on Land 0.966 -0.195 0.743 0.516 3. Cassini M.H. (2001). Behavioural responses of South American fur seals to approach by tourists – a brief report. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 71, 341-346. Function 1 Scan on Land 0.643 0.700 0.354 0.689 p value <0.001* Scan in Water -0.507 0.463 -0.457 -0.762 Acknowledgements Scan in Water 0.914 Surface Swim -0.0004 n/a 0.122 n/a The authors would like to thank the staff at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo CA, without whom this research would not have been possible. The authors would also like to acknowledge the role of the late Dr. Stan Kuczaj II in Object Obstruction -0.367 Pattern Swim -0.003 n/a -0.325 n/a inspiring this research. .
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