Public Perceptions of Behavioral Enrichment: Assumptions Gone Awry

More and more, zoos are integrating behavioral enrichment programs into their management routines. Given the newness of such programs on an official level, however, there are an increasing number of enrichment decisions based on assumption. Enrichment is typically not provided on exhibit, especially for exhibits considered to be more naturalistic, because it is assumed to affect visitors’ experience negatively. To test that assumption, visitors were interviewed in front of four exhibits—an outdoor barren grotto, an outdoor vegetated grotto, an indoor immersion exhibit, and an outdoor traditional cage—each with either natural, nonnatural or no enrichment objects present. Specifically, we wanted to know whether 1) the exhibit’s perceived educational message, 2) the animal’s perceived “happiness,” and 3) the visitor perceptions of enrichment, the naturalism of animal’s behavior, and zoo animal well-being changed as a function of object type. Overall, the type of enrichment object had little impact on visitor perceptions. In the outdoor barren grotto, only visitor perceptions of exhibit naturalism were affected by object type. In the outdoor vegetated grotto, object type influenced visitors perceptions of enrichment and exhibit naturalism. For the indoor immersion exhibit, general perceptions of enrichment and the perceived naturalism of the animal’s behavior were affected. Finally, in the outdoor traditional cage, perceived educational message and general perceptions of enrichment changed as a function of object type. Zoo Biol 17:525–534, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.