Shao Doyon-Degroote
Project
Ambassador Animals Welfare: Impact of Education Programs on Behavioural and Physiological WellbeingMany educational programs in zoos rely on the use of «ambassador animals». These individuals are transported, manipulated and exposed to different stressors compared to other animals kept in captivity. Ambassador animals represent a diverse array of species including reptiles, birds and mammals. Although commonplace in modern zoos, ambassador animal programs have rarely been the subject of research projects. This project thus has the potential to improve the welfare of animals involved in education programs in zoos and other settings. This project aims at i) finding sources of stressors, ii) establish baseline and thresholds indicators of wellbeing, iii) study intra and inter-specific variations, and iv) propose improvements to current management practices.
