Visitors at zoos often complain that the animals just sit there. Nevermind that lions are nocturnal/crepuscular (awesome word!), people just want to get the most roar for their buck. Here, some zookeepers decided to address the problem by just playing taped lion roars to satisfy the visitors. They also recorded the reactions of visitors and nearby animals. Surprisingly, it worked! Not only were the visitors happy, but it didn't stress out either the lions (OMG, another lion in my territory?) or nearby ungulates (giraffes, zebras, waterbucks, and gazelles).
Lion, ungulate, and visitor reactions to playbacks of lion roars at Zoo Atlanta.
"Felids in captivity are often inactive and elusive in zoos, leading to a frustrating visitor experience. Eight roars were recorded from an adult male lion and played back over speakers as auditory enrichment to benefit the lions while simultaneously enhancing the zoo visitor experience. In addition, ungulates in an ...
