Exploring Sound Emission in Shanghai Zoo as a Public Space

Abstract

The existence of zoos in cities provokes different reactions in people. Some view it to be an entertaining place to visit on an off day. Now, more often that people are not in favor of zoos anymore, for even though the idea of seeing wildlife in person is attractive, it is also sad to see these animals encaged and even more so under less optimal conditions. The purpose with this article is to investigate the impact of music and other human sounds in animals subject to captivity in the zoo, and if and how it creates changes in their behavior. The following question motivated the study: Is it beneficial for zoos to introduce music into these animals’ habitat? To find an answer, a joint team went to the Shanghai Zoo on four different occasions to collect data, conduct interviews with visitors and caregivers, and observe both select animals and humans. The selection was done according to continuous availability. The results are presented in the paper.