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October 10, 2025Zoo Biology

Do Snakes Give a Hiss? Examining the Impact of Zoo Visitors on Captive Snakes

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Authors

SHStanley L. HansonBCBridget Cooper‐RogersPKPaige Klingner

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Overview

Observational analysis shows varied behavioral responses in snakes due to different visitor proximities, indicating potential welfare implications.

Key Points

  • The Visitor‐Natural condition had a neutral to positive impact on snake behavior, enhancing their welfare while in captivity.
  • Significant negative impacts were observed during the Visitor‐Experimenter condition, including an increase in abnormal behaviors among snakes.
  • An ethogram was developed and applied across three different visitor proximity conditions, providing structured observations of snake behavior.
  • This research suggests the need for better understanding of visitor impacts on snakes, highlighting its importance for animal welfare practices in zoos.

Cite This Study

Hanson et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/68e861857ef2f04ca37e39f1https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.70033
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