Hullabaloo at the Zoo: acousticians urged to seek out zoo soundscapes as fertile arenas of research

What is it about?

A new study suggests that zoos are an untapped resource for scientists working in the field of sound. The authors are calling for closer collaboration between scientists and the zoo community in hopes that future research could benefit animals and deepen our understanding of the natural world.

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Photo by Mosharraf Hossain on Unsplash

Photo by Mosharraf Hossain on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Dr Leah Williams, who co-authored the study with Dr Rebecca Lewis, said: Leah said: “When it comes to research into zoo environments, a lot of studies focus on the physical environment, in terms of both animals and visitors, perhaps because other dimensions of the environment are less visible and obvious. “Zoo soundscapes have real implications for visitor and animal welfare and on conservation practices, and they offer a rich and unique environment for inquiry.” Key findings: - Visitor noise is the most researched aspect of sounds in zoos - Zoo bioacoustics impact studies most often focus on non-human primates, with relatively few visitor sound studies focusing on birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish - Consistent noise, of the kind generator noise, HVAC systems and aquarium filtration systems, is less studied than acute noise, like the sound generated by after-hours events or short-term construction projects - More research is needed into how environmental noise affects the way animals communicate and behave Leah added: “The issue many zoos face is that they don’t have the capacity to carry out their own bioacoustics surveys. It’s a complex field and requires technical expertise and access to specialised equipment. We’re lucky at Chester Zoo to have team members who have that expertise, but other organisations don’t have that capacity. We want to encourage zoos to reach out to researchers and researchers to reach out to zoos."

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