Although contributing similar effects, it could not be determined if crowd numbers, composition, or noise most affected the troop, nor any chronic effects of exposure to large crowds. However, consistent with the more acute time frame of measurement, V DENSITY was a better predictor of behavior at high crowd volumes, we observed significant group-level changes in activity budget (increased inactivity, increased locomotion, and decreased environment-related behaviors), increase in some anxiety-related behaviors, and decreased enclosure usage. Overall, V GATE had little effect across behaviors. Both daily zoo-entry numbers (V GATE ) and instantaneous crowds at the exhibit (V DENSITY ) were measured. We used focal scan sampling to determine activity budget and enclosure usage, and focal continuous sampling to identify bouts of anxiety-related behavior (visitor-directed vigilance, self-scratching, and aggression).
We examined the impact of visitors on the behavior of six western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), observing the troop over 6 weeks during high season (4.5 hr/day, 35 days, May-July 2016). These crowds could cause behavioral change in captive primates, whether positive, neutral, or negative. Primates, especially apes, are popular with the public, often attracting large crowds.
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