scholarly journals Animal-Visitor Interactions: Effects, Experiences, and Welfare

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 462-467
Author(s):  
Eduardo J. Fernandez ◽  
Samantha J. Chiew

Animal-Visitor Interactions (AVI) within zoos and aquariums have become an increasingly studied topic. Influenced by both the broader field of Human-Animal Interactions (HAI), as well as visitor studies conducted in museums, AVI studies can be separated into two areas of focus: (1) Visitor effects, or the impact visitors have on the animals housed within a zoo, and (2) visitor experiences, or the impact zoo animals and visiting a zoo have on the visitors. Historically, visitor effects have been of primary concern to the study of AVIs, as have the potential negative impacts on the welfare of animals, particularly those of zoo primates. This special issue examines the impact of AVIs in greater detail through twelve recent papers on the topic, equally addressing visitor effects and experiences. Many of the papers focus on positive welfare indices, as well as less traditional measures to examine both visitor effects and experiences, such as visitor proximity and visitor interviews. In addition, we discuss the relevance of future AVI work, with particular attention to (a) increased interest in visitor experience research, (b) examinations of signage effects, and (c) continued focus on positive welfare indices and direct interactions, such as public feedings.

Author(s):  
Azizul Hassan ◽  
Haywantee Ramkissoon

Abstract This chapter analyses the conceptual understanding of visitor experience in a nature-based tourism context with particular reference to augmented reality (AR) applications. Critical explanation is offered to outline the ways in which to apply AR in nature-based tourism settings. The Sundarbans forest in Bangladesh, where there was a devastating oil spill in the Sundarbans Natural World Heritage Site in 2014, is the case study example used in this chapter. The potential importance of AR as a tool to protect the forest's natural fragility is discussed and highlighted. Combining the real and virtual image of the forest is proposed in a management tool to mitigate tourists' negative impacts, protecting the resources for present and future generations and improving visitor experiences.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alice Meads

<p>While it is claimed that international touring exhibitions are highly valuable in terms of promoting intercultural understanding, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. In particular, there is a lack of visitor research on the subject. “Aztecs at Our Place” addresses this current lack of knowledge by seeking to provide an insight into the impact of touring exhibitions on their audiences. It examines the ways visitors to the exhibition Aztecs: Conquest and glory built impressions and “made meaning” about an unfamiliar culture. The exhibition was on display at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) from 28 September 2013 to 9 February 2014. It was developed by Te Papa in partnership with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia in Mexico, and the Australian Museum and Museum Victoria. From Te Papa, the exhibition travelled to Melbourne Museum and then the Australian Museum in Sydney. This dissertation studies the visitor experience at Te Papa only but forms part of a broader study which examines two exhibitions across several international venues.  “Aztecs at Our Place” draws on recent theoretical and methodological developments in the field of visitor studies including visitor meaning-making, narrative-based methods and long-term visitor insights. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, centering on narrative-based interviews with twenty-three visitors to the exhibition. Follow-up interviews were conducted with eleven of the original participants in order to determine visitors’ lasting impressions of the exhibition. The findings reveal how participants’ impressions of Aztec culture were informed by different aspects of the exhibition. Information and objects relating to everyday life were essential for creating a broader, more sympathetic understanding of Aztec culture beyond human sacrifice. The research also demonstrates that cultural comparisons, objects and emotions including empathy helped participants gain an appreciation for the Aztec way of life, in conjunction with aspects of participants’ identity.   The findings shed new light on the way visitors “connect” to another culture through experiencing an international touring exhibition. Considering that cultural diplomacy is reportedly growing in importance, this research has implications for museum professionals seeking to promote intercultural understanding through an exhibition.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Alice Meads

<p>While it is claimed that international touring exhibitions are highly valuable in terms of promoting intercultural understanding, there is little empirical evidence to support this claim. In particular, there is a lack of visitor research on the subject. “Aztecs at Our Place” addresses this current lack of knowledge by seeking to provide an insight into the impact of touring exhibitions on their audiences. It examines the ways visitors to the exhibition Aztecs: Conquest and glory built impressions and “made meaning” about an unfamiliar culture. The exhibition was on display at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa) from 28 September 2013 to 9 February 2014. It was developed by Te Papa in partnership with the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia in Mexico, and the Australian Museum and Museum Victoria. From Te Papa, the exhibition travelled to Melbourne Museum and then the Australian Museum in Sydney. This dissertation studies the visitor experience at Te Papa only but forms part of a broader study which examines two exhibitions across several international venues.  “Aztecs at Our Place” draws on recent theoretical and methodological developments in the field of visitor studies including visitor meaning-making, narrative-based methods and long-term visitor insights. The study employed a qualitative research methodology, centering on narrative-based interviews with twenty-three visitors to the exhibition. Follow-up interviews were conducted with eleven of the original participants in order to determine visitors’ lasting impressions of the exhibition. The findings reveal how participants’ impressions of Aztec culture were informed by different aspects of the exhibition. Information and objects relating to everyday life were essential for creating a broader, more sympathetic understanding of Aztec culture beyond human sacrifice. The research also demonstrates that cultural comparisons, objects and emotions including empathy helped participants gain an appreciation for the Aztec way of life, in conjunction with aspects of participants’ identity.   The findings shed new light on the way visitors “connect” to another culture through experiencing an international touring exhibition. Considering that cultural diplomacy is reportedly growing in importance, this research has implications for museum professionals seeking to promote intercultural understanding through an exhibition.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 566-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jake Jorgenson ◽  
Norma Nickerson ◽  
Douglas Dalenberg ◽  
Justin Angle ◽  
Elizabeth Metcalf ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to test the validity of the new Tourism Autobiographical Memory Scale (TAMS) that measures visitor experience through personal memory. The TAMS uses the autobiographical memory framework to represent the degree to which a travel experience was impactful to a traveler’s life. Visitors were asked to recall a memory from their visit to a national park and rate the memory of the experience based on its impact and frequency of rehearsal on a 7-point scale. Using exploratory factor analysis and reliability testing, two distinct factors emerged. Results identified a reliable measure of a memory’s impact and frequency of rehearsal of tourists. The TAMS provides researchers a new scale to gather information about the impact of a visitor experience from the direct source—personal memories. Destination managers who understand the impact they can have on a traveler will be able to manage and market to those types of experiences.


Bothalia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
John R.U. Wilson ◽  
Mirijam Gaertner ◽  
David M. Richardson ◽  
Brian W. Van Wilgen

South Africa has committed to producing a National Status Report on Biological Invasions by October 2017 and thereafter every three years. This will be the first status report at a national level specifically on biological invasions. As part of soliciting input, a workshop was held in May 2016 that led to this special issue of 19 papers in the journal Bothalia: African Biodiversity and Conservation. This editorial introduces the symposium, discusses the special issue and summarises how each contribution provides an estimate of ‘status’. Papers focus on key pathways, taxa, areas, and evaluations of interventions, specifically the movement of taxa between South Africa and neighbouring countries; the dispersal pathways of amphibians; a review of alien animals; a report on changes in the number and abundance of alien plants; in-depth reviews of the status of invasions for cacti, fishes, fungi and grasses; an assessment of the impact of widespread invasive plants on animals; reviews on invasions in municipalities, protected areas and subAntarctic Islands; assessments of the efficacy of biological control and other control programmes; and recommendations for how to deal with conflict species, to conduct scientific assessments and to improve risk assessments. The papers in this special issue confirm that South Africa is an excellent place to study invasions that can provide insights for understanding and managing invasions in other countries. Negative impacts seem to be largely precipitated by certain taxa (especially plants), whereas invasions by a number of other groups do not, yet, seem to have caused the widespread negative impacts felt in other countries. Although South Africa has effectively managed a few biological invasions (e.g. highly successful biological control of some invasive plants), the key challenge seems to be to establish and maintain a strong link between implementation, monitoring, reporting and planning.


Author(s):  
Endy Gunanto ◽  
Yenni Kurnia Gusti

In this article we present a conceptual of the effect of cross culture on consumer behavior incorporating the impact of globalization. This conceptual idea shows that culture inûuences various domains of consumer behavior directly as well as through international organization to implement marketing strategy. The conceptual identify several factors such as norm and value in the community, several variables and also depicts the impact of other environmental factors and marketing strategy elements on consumer behavior. We also identify categories of consumer culture orientation resulting from globalization. Highlights of each of the several other articles included in this special issue in Asia region. We conclude with the contributions of the articles in terms of the consumer cultural orientations and identify directions for future research.


2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 181-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pinar Yazgan ◽  
Deniz Eroglu Utku ◽  
Ibrahim Sirkeci

With the growing insurrections in Syria in 2011, an exodus in large numbers have emerged. The turmoil and violence have caused mass migration to destinations both within the region and beyond. The current "refugee crisis" has escalated sharply and its impact is widening from neighbouring countries toward Europe. Today, the Syrian crisis is the major cause for an increase in displacement and the resultant dire humanitarian situation in the region. Since the conflict shows no signs of abating in the near future, there is a constant increase in the number of Syrians fleeing their homes. However, questions on the future impact of the Syrian crisis on the scope and scale of this human mobility are still to be answered. As the impact of the Syrian crisis on host countries increases, so does the demand for the analyses of the needs for development and protection in these countries. In this special issue, we aim to bring together a number of studies examining and discussing human mobility in relation to the Syrian crisis.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-71
Author(s):  
Wigiyanti Masodah

Offering credit is the main activity of a Bank. There are some considerations when a bank offers credit, that includes Interest Rates, Inflation, and NPL. This study aims to find out the impact of Variable Interest Rates, Inflation variables and NPL variables on credit disbursed. The object in this study is state-owned banks. The method of analysis in this study uses multiple linear regression models. The results of the study have shown that Interest Rates and NPL gave some negative impacts on the given credit. Meanwhile, Inflation variable does not have a significant effect on credit given. Keywords: Interest Rate, Inflation, NPL, offered Credit.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-145
Author(s):  
Ellen Williams ◽  
Anne Carter ◽  
Jessica Rendle ◽  
Samantha J. Ward

Prolonged and repetitive COVID-19 facility closures have led to an abrupt cessation of visitors within UK and Irish zoos for variable periods since March 2020. This study sought to increase understanding of the impact of closures and reopenings on animal behaviour, thereby broadening understanding of whether zoo animals habituate to visitors. Data were collected from June to August 2020 at two UK facilities on eight species (n = 1 Chinese goral, n = 2 Grevy’s zebra, n = 11 swamp wallaby, n = 2 Rothschild’s giraffe, n = 2 nyala, n = 4 Chapman’s zebra, n = 2 snow leopard and n = 3 Amur leopard). Behaviour change and enclosure use was variable across species but most changes were non-significant. Grevy’s zebra engaged in more comfort behaviour during closure periods than post-closure (p < 0.05). Chinese goral engaged in more environmental interactions during closure periods (p < 0.05). Grevy’s zebra spent longer than would be expected by chance closest to public viewing areas during closure periods (p < 0.008). These results suggest variable impacts of covid-19 closures and reopenings, mirroring human-animal interaction literature. We highlight the potential for some species to take longer to re-habituate to the presence of zoo visitors. As facility closures/reopenings are ongoing, we advocate a longitudinal monitoring approach. Furthermore, we recommend incorporation of physical and physiological measures of welfare where possible, alongside behavioural responses, to enable a holistic approach to answering fundamental questions on whether zoo animals habituate to visitors.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1608
Author(s):  
Salvatore Ivo Giano

This Special Issue deals with the role of fluvial geomorphology in landscape evolution and the impact of human activities on fluvial systems, which require river restoration and management [...]


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