The effects of visitors and social isolation from a peer on the behavior of a mixed-species pair of captive gibbons

The effects of visitors and social isolation from a peer on the behavior of a mixed-species pair of captive gibbons

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Abstract Human visitors affect the behavior of captive animals, which is the so-called visitor effect.The number and behavior of visitors may influence stress-related behaviors in captive animals, such as self-scratching, yawning, and visitor-directed vigilance.A social group setting can be applied to alleviate such negative visitor effects and facilitate social behavior and interactions between individuals.In this CAL/MAG study, we examined how the number and behavior of visitors are related to stress-related behaviors of a captive mixed-species gibbon pair comprising a yellow-cheek gibbon (Nomascus gabriellae) and a white-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar).The two gibbons were separated during the study period, and we examined whether the social isolation stimulated the visitor effect.

The frequency of stress-related behaviors of the gibbons increased and the social playing between them decreased proportionally to visitor number.In the indoor enclosure, the gibbons increased their visitor-directed vigilance when visitors shouted or struck the glass partition.Our findings indicate ENGLISH BREAKFAST that the number and behavior of visitors negatively affect captive gibbons and that a mixed-species social setting can help gibbons reduce visitor-induced stress.Future studies with larger sample sizes will improve the understanding of the visitor effect and the social setting in the captivity.