The “Visitor Effect” and captive black-tailed prairie dog behavior

The presence and density of people at a zoo exhibit is associated with behavioral changes in captive animals. However, most of these studies have only investigated behavioral changes in primates. To widen the range of animal groups studied, we examined the effects of visitor observation on captive black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) behavior and enclosure distribution. Due to the rich variety of readily-observable, sophisticated behaviors the black-tailed prairie dog is a wonderful model species for the study of behavior. In this study, we were able to quantify the effects of observation on key behaviors.