The effect of visitation on the behavior of captive individuals of panthera onca (Linnaeus, 1758)

Abstract

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the biggest living feline in the Americas and, like many large predators, is threatened by habitat loss and persecution. One response to these threats is ex situ conservation through zoos. However, captive environments do not have the same diversity as natural environments with potentially negative effects on the general health of individuals and their behavior. Here, we assess the behavior of four captive jaguars in Curitiba Zoo, Southern Brazil, on days with different visitation rates with the aim of testing if there is a relation between human visitation and stereotypic behaviors. All four jaguars predominantly engaged in resting behavior but showed an increase of stereotypy on days with more visitations. Moreover, it was also possible to show that each animal responds differently to negative stimuli from visitation and that its behavior presents marked differences because they are in captivity and on display.