The Benefits of Increased Space and Habitat Complexity for the Welfare of Zoo-Housed King Penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus )

Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI · 6 authors, 2 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 94%

POPULATION10 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) housed at the Detroit Zoo

INTERVENTIONHousing in the larger, more complex Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC) with a 1234 kL pool and naturalistic design

COMPARISONHousing in the smaller Penguinarium with a 132.5 kL pool and less complexity

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

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TL;DR

This study found that king penguins at the Detroit Zoo spent significantly more time swimming and engaging in positive social behaviors, and less time in aggression, when housed in a larger, more complex habitat (Polk Penguin Conservation Center) compared to a smaller, older one (Penguinarium). These behavioral changes indicate improved welfare associated with increased space and environmental complexity. The findings support the importance of naturalistic habitat design for captive penguin welfare.

Full summary

3,050 CHARS

**Background:** Habitat design is a key factor influencing the welfare of captive animals, yet post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) that compare the same animals across different enclosures are rare, especially for birds like penguins. The Detroit Zoological Society opened the Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC) in 2016, a 3065.80 m² facility with a 1234 kL pool and naturalistic features, replacing the older Penguinarium (opened 1968, 132.5 kL pool). This study aimed to assess whether the increased space and complexity of the PPCC improved welfare indicators in king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus).

**Methods:** Ten king penguins (5 males, 5 females; mean age 14.73 ± 9.05 years) were observed as they moved between the Penguinarium and PPCC over two phases (Phase 1: 2015-2017; Phase 2: 2019-2022). Behavioral data were collected via instantaneous scan sampling (1-min intervals) and all-occurrence event recording, totaling 694.8 hours (5368 observations). Time spent swimming was also measured using flipper-mounted time-depth recorders (TDRs) for 10,416 hours. Non-parametric Wilcoxon tests and generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to compare behaviors between habitats, controlling for season, time of day, sex, and age.

**Key Results:** TDR data showed a threefold increase in time spent swimming in the PPCC (mean 18.03% vs. 6.65% in Penguinarium; p < 0.05). Observational data confirmed significantly more swimming in the PPCC (p < 0.05), with individual increases ranging from 0.00% to 41.34% of visible time. Penguins also spent more time laying (p < 0.05) and trended toward more feeding (p = 0.06) in the PPCC, while walking decreased (p < 0.05). Positive social behaviors increased: allopreening (p < 0.05) and displays (p < 0.05) were higher in the PPCC. Agonistic behaviors (given, received, total) were significantly lower in the PPCC (p < 0.05 for all). Social proximity changed: penguins spent less time near other species (p < 0.05) and more time alone or near conspecifics (p < 0.05). GLMMs confirmed habitat as a significant predictor for swimming, laying, walking, agonism, and proximity, with seasonal effects also noted (e.g., less swimming during molt).

**Clinical Implications:** This study provides strong evidence that larger, more complex habitats improve welfare for zoo-housed king penguins, as indicated by increased swimming (a species-typical behavior), reduced aggression, and more positive social interactions. The findings highlight the importance of pool depth and complexity (e.g., artificial kelp, wave motion) in encouraging natural behaviors. The POE design, with multiple moves between habitats, strengthens the causal link between habitat features and welfare outcomes. These results can inform future habitat designs for penguins and other captive species, emphasizing the need for ample space, environmental enrichment, and opportunities for species-appropriate behaviors. Individual differences (e.g., Lola's lameness) underscore the need for personalized welfare assessments.

PICO

PPOPULATION

10 king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) housed at the Detroit Zoo

IINTERVENTION

Housing in the larger, more complex Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC) with a 1234 kL pool and naturalistic design

OOUTCOME

Time spent swimming (measured by TDRs and observations), rates of aggression, positive social behaviors (allopreening, displays), solitary behaviors (laying, walking, feeding), and social proximity

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

veterinary medicine

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

94% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10376525

The Benefits of Increased Space and Habitat Complexity for the Welfare of Zoo-Housed King Penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus )

Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI

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ABSTRACT

Simple Summary Habitat design influences every aspect of welfare for captive animals, including the sensory milieu, opportunities to forage for food, the ability to make choices about where to engage in species-typical behaviors, and the opportunity to regulate proximity to other animals sharing a space. Moving a group of animals from one designed space to another provides an opportunity to observe how their behavior is shaped by habitat design features. In this study, we observed the behavior of ten king penguins as they were transferred back and forth between two habitats at the Detroit Zoo. The Penguinarium, although state of the art for its time, opened in 1968 and offered less space and complexity than the naturalistic, expansive Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC), which opened in 2016. These penguins spent more time swimming when they had access to the substantially larger pool of the PPCC. They also engaged in more positive social behaviors, such as species-typical displays and allopreening, and fewer aggressive behaviors in the PPCC. The results support a positive connection between the design of the PPCC and improved welfare for these king penguins. Abstract Zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums embrace animal welfare as a foundational principle of habitat design. Modern habitats are designed to provide animals with choices and agency over their environment, and to encourage species-appropriate behavior and space use. In 2016, the Detroit Zoological Society opened the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, a 3065.80 m 2 facility that features a naturalistic design. The building was designed to optimize animal welfare by incorporating various substrates, nesting sites, and a 1234 kL pool with elements of underwater complexity. The facility houses a mixed-species group of penguins that were previously housed in a smaller habitat that opened in 1968. Between 2015 and 2022, we opportunistically monitored the behavior of ten king penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus ) as they moved back and forth between the two buildings while additional modifications were made to the new habitat. We collected 695 h of behavioral observations and 10,416 h of data from flipper-mounted time–depth recorders. We found that the king penguins spent less time engaged in aggression and more time engaged in swimming and positive social behaviors in the redesigned space. They also spent less time in proximity to other species of penguins and more time alone. These behavioral trends suggest that increased space and environmental complexity had positive welfare benefits for these penguins.

CITATION EXPORT

Grace Fuller, Megan Jones, Kylen N. Gartland et al.. The Benefits of Increased Space and Habitat Complexity for the Welfare of Zoo-Housed King Penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus). Animals : an Open Access Journal from MDPI. (2023). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13142312

AUTHORS

6 · 2 CENTRES

Grace Fuller, Megan Jones, Kylen N. Gartland, Sara Zalewski, Matthew R. Heintz, Stephanie Allard

1Center for Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare and Ethics, Detroit Zoological Society, Royal Oak, MI 48067, [email protected] (K.N.G.);
2National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD 21202, USA; [email protected]

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Paul Rose, Claudia Mettke-Hofmann, Andrew Smith