A number of zoos around the world are reporting that their animals are becoming “lonely” without visitors during the lockdown.
At Phoenix Zoo, keepers have lunch dates with elephants and orangutans, and one sociable bird needs frequent visits. Primates have gone looking for the missing visitors.
The zoo’s communications director, Linda Hardwick, told the BBC: “We have noticed that some of our more ‘social’ animals are not a fan of the stay at home and social distancing orders.”
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Paul Rose, lecturer in animal behaviour at the University of Exeter, said animals like primates and parrots “get a lot of enrichment from viewing and engaging with visitors” and show signs of missing it if the stimulation is not there.
