Assessing the visitors’ attitude and the zoo animals’ behavior from Chattogram Zoo: A Bangladesh perspective

Abstract

Zoos have become a popular biological facility to generate knowledge, skills, and expertise in conservation research and education, globally. However, the visitor’s attitude and behavior can affect the zoo animal’s behavior and welfare, as this issue has not attained due attention in Bangladesh. This study was conducted to understand the visitors’ behavior and its impact on three captive species; the Bengal Tiger, Spotted Deer, and Rhesus Monkey at Chattogram Zoo. In terms of the visitors’ interests, female and young visitors showed more interest in the animals; especially towards the deer and monkeys. Female visitors showed more desirable behavior to the animals than their male counterparts. Female and young visitors approached the cages more than the male and adult visitors. On the other hand, in all three studies animals, especially the tigers, showed positive behavior toward female visitors. Monkeys were more excited and curious than other animals toward the female visitors whereas the tigers showed dull behavior toward the male visitors. The illiterate visitors showed more interest in the monkey and deer cage and were happier than other classes of visitors after visiting the zoo. Tigers showed activeness and alertness to the adult and illiterate visitors. However, the most undesirable behavior toward animals was also shown by the illiterate class of visitors. These findings on visitors’ attitudes towards different zoo animals and the counter-reaction shown by animals will allow the national policymakers through their legislative guidelines towards common people to rethink what changes should be brought for a positive zoo environment.