To examine the validity of the IRT data, we collected saliva samples for hormone analysis before and after each condition, in addition to behavioral data during the interactions and control condition. We measured nasal temperatures associated with emotional change using IRT. We conducted a pilot study to determine if IRT is a valid measure of the emotional responses to routine interactions (positive reinforcement training and cognitive tasks, compared to a control condition) with familiar humans on three western lowland gorillas at the Detroit Zoo.
Infrared thermography (IRT) has shown some promise in the assessment of emotions in a variety of species, but further research is needed to determine if this method is useful in a zoo setting. Little empirical information exists on how animals perceive these interactions, and particularly how the interactions affect the emotional states of animals. Interactions between zoo professionals and animals occur regularly and are believed to be enriching for animals. Challenges and suggestions for future studies using infrared thermography to examine interactions between humans and zoo animals are discussed. The variability in responses we observed do not lend themselves to making firm conclusions about the validity of infrared thermography (IRT) for measuring emotion in this context or about how these gorillas responded to interactions. As mixed results in previous research show, infrared thermography may detect emotional arousal however, additional indicators are necessary to determine the valence of the observed changes. Oxytocin and cortisol both decreased following all conditions, including the control, and were thus equivocal for interpreting the meaning of the changes in nasal temperature. The behavior of all three gorillas suggested that they were engaged in the interactions, without exhibiting behaviors that could indicate negative welfare impacts. Nasal temperatures consistently decreased for two gorillas during interactions, while the third gorilla showed repeated increases. In addition to thermal images, we collected saliva samples for hormone analysis before and after human–animal interactions and a control condition, and we recorded behavioral data during all conditions. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of infrared thermography for measuring the emotional responses of three western lowland gorillas at the Detroit Zoo to routine interactions (positive reinforcement training and cognitive tasks) with familiar humans.
However, there is little empirical information on how animals perceive these interactions or on the interactions’ effects on animals’ emotional states. Interactions between zoo professionals and animals, such as positive reinforcement training, occur regularly and are thought to be enriching for animals.
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