fairfolio
Saved Projects

Quantification of Zoo Enclosure Space Use and Nervous-Frightened Response by Endangered Chacoan peccary

CSEF · 2013 Mammalian Biology

Conner R. Bennett · Sacred Heart Preparatory, Atherton, San Mateo County

Overview

Objectives/Goals This study seeks to measure enclosure space utilization by the San Francisco Zoo's four Chacoan peccary and statistically quantify the animals nervous-frightened response to the miniature steam-powered train horn sound. Methods/Materials The modified Spread Participation Index (SPI) (Plowman, 2003) was calculated to determine the animals use of the unequal enclosure space sections. Chi-square statistic analyzed the relationship between the train horn sound and the animals nervous-frightened response. The SPI is expected to indicate imbalanced enclosure utilization while the train horn sound and Chacoan peccary back hair standing-up is not independent. Results The SPI was 0.267112. An SPI of 0.0 shows an even distribution of space use and 1.0 indicates the animals staying in one quadrant. The chi-square statistic was 271.85; DF=1; 0.05 significance level; (p < 0.01) and supported rejecting the null hypothesis. Conclusions/Discussion The SPI indicates the animals do not use the enclosure space equally. With 2,172 observations, quadrant 2 had the lowest utilization, 7 percent. The animal's daily range area in the wild is nearly 180 times the size of its zoo habitat. The chi-square results show an association between the train horn sound and nervous-frightened behavior. The hair stood up 36 times and 32 times (89%) were in response to the train horn sound. Adding a small water pool to quadrant 2 may produce more even space use; building a Plexiglas sound wall where the train passes the enclosure could reduce the number of hair-up responses; and, further research is needed in these areas.

Summary statement

Chacoan peccary zoo enclosure space utilization and, back hair-up response to the zoo's train horn sound were statistically quantified and recommendations were made.

Help received

Dr. Julie Woodruff provided encouragement and general guidance via email. I have never met or spoken with Dr. Woodruff. My parents proofread my presentation, drove me to the zoo, and were the timers.

Competition history

  • CSEF 2013 Mammalian Biology · Entry S1202

Resources

Related projects

Closest projects by meaning, across every fair and year in the corpus.

Browse more like this

Source: California Science & Engineering Fair public projects

Save projects to your library

Sign in with Google to keep track of projects you find interesting, organized into folders. An account also raises your daily allowance for “Has this been done?”, and lets you create a key for the MCP server with a much higher limit than anonymous use. Browsing stays public.

Continue with Google