Authors : Lv Shen-Jin , Yang Lin , Liu Yu-Qing , Yang Yan , Chen Guo-Hong and Wei Wan-Hong
Abstract: Although several researchers have reported the significant effect of visitors on captive-housed primates, comparatively little research has been done on the behaviorual responses of some wild ungulates animals. To date, the effect of human audience on the welfare of captive fallow deer (Dama dama) has been overlooked. This study thus examined the behavior of 7 zoo-housed fallow deer during periods of both high and low visitor density with the aim of exploring whether there was any effect of visitors� density on the animals� well-being. Observational data on various behaviours were obtained through focal animal sampling. These data were analyzed using Paired-samples T-test to estimate the effect of visitor density on fallow deer. The results of analysis indicated that high visitor density encouraged behaviour of relation, with fallow deer spending a significantly more watching and auto-grooming behaviour. By contrast, low visitor density encouraged significantly more foraging and rest. The findings demonstrate that fallow deer, like many other species of captive animals, are disturbed by high number of visitors. In conclusion, visitor density had a significant effect on the behaviour of fallow deer in China park.
Lv Shen-Jin , Yang Lin , Liu Yu-Qing , Yang Yan , Chen Guo-Hong and Wei Wan-Hong , 2007. The Effect of Visitor Density on the Behaviour of the Captive Fallow Deer (Dama dama). Research Journal of Animal Sciences, 1: 81-84.