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This dissertation deals with monitoring of European brown bears behavior (Ursus arctos arctos), namely of males Pišta, Miky and Honzík and of female Eliška in zoological garden in Plzen in spring 2012. Behaviour of all European brown bears is for better clarity presented in the form of tables and graphs. The dissertation includes overview of all kinds of ursine (size, environment, food and reproduction). Key words: bear, hibernation, bears activity

This work presents study of parrot nestor kea. It is divided into two parts - theoretical and experimental part. Two chapters are dedicated to the theoretical part. This kind of parrot is connected to culture and relationship of local people. The first capture applies to enviroment in New Zealand, its inhabitants and their relationship between each other. The second chapter operates with detailed information about nestors. It's summary of available information about nestors from Czech and also foreign authors. The purpose of experimental part was to find out the possibilities of testing of cognitive abilities in conditions of zoo. We also passed the testing of cognitive abilities. We tried to define the factors that can involve the results of the testing. At the time we also suggested and proved a new system of experimental facility that can be used in our suggested future research. In the end we managed experimental testing of cognitive abilities of this kind of parrot that took place in zoo in Liberec. Key Words: nestor kea, research, cognitive abilities, zoo

My master's thesis deals with monitoring of giraffes group (mainly three members - male Johan, cow Berta and young cow Laura) in Prague zoological garden in the period from summer 2012 till spring 2013. Behavior of three chosen individuals is presented in the form of graphs and charts for better clarity. Overview of all Giraffidae Family, its description and living area, is included in the thesis. Zoological gardens breeding giraffes and conditions of their breed are included in this project.

THE ISSUES IN METHODOLOGY AND DATA INTERPRETATION IN STUDIES OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS' ATTENDANCE Lukáš Nekolný Abstract Attendance belongs to the main quantitative indicators of tourism which is one of the most important sectors of human activites. Knowledge about number of visitors has substantiation in scientific research and in destination management. In this case it is essential to combine the sustainability and the economic benefits. The number of visitors (visits) is important regarding to education and media. Therefore the use of comparable methodology is appropriate before interpretation of corresponding data. The aims of this thesis after analysing methodologic risk issues are to create the recommendation and to compare data of tourist attractions. The main points of recommendation we can mark are to compare individual attractions regardless of the ownership structure and to separate counting of tour routes and counting of visitor numbers with season tickets without distorted coefficients. All these issues are completed through the model cases from zoos - one of the most visited tourist attractions. Keywords: tourism, attendance, tourist attraction, methodology, interpretation, zoo

Master of Public Health / Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology / Douglas Powell / Outbreaks of human illness have been linked to visiting settings with animal contact throughout developed countries. These outbreaks demonstrate that although contact with animals in public settings can provide educational and entertainment opportunities, the potential to spread disease exists if risk-reduction tools are not implemented, proper hygiene measures aren’t practiced, and precautions are not taken and reinforced. This thesis is divided into two parts. Part one is an observational study of hand hygiene tool availability and recommendations; frequency of risky behavior; and, handwashing attempts by visitors in Kansas and Missouri, U.S., petting zoos. Part two delineates best practices for organizing events where human-animal interactions are encouraged, in hopes it will lower the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Handwashing signs and hand hygiene stations were available at the exit of animal-contact areas in 10/13 and 8/13 petting zoos respectively. Risky behaviors were observed being performed at all petting zoos by at least one visitor. Frequently observed behaviors were: children (10/13 petting zoos) and adults (9/13 petting zoos) touching hands to face within animal-contact areas; animals licking children’s and adults’ hands (7/13 and 4/13 petting zoos, respectively); and children and adults drinking within animal-contact areas (5/13 petting zoos each). Of 574 visitors observed for hand hygiene when exiting animal-contact areas, 37% (n=214) of individuals attempted some type of hand hygiene, with male adults, female adults, and children attempting at similar rates (32%, 40%, and 37% respectively). Visitors performed hand hygiene more often when a staff member was present within or at the exit to the animal-contact area (136/231, 59%) than when no staff member was present (78/343, 23%; P < 0.001, OR = 4.863, 95% CI = 3.380–6.998), and in petting zoos where animal contact occurred over a fence (188/460, 40.9%) as opposed to visitors entering an animals’ yard for contact (26/114, 22.8%; P < 0.001, OR = 2.339, 95% CI = 1.454–3.763). Inconsistencies existed in tool availability, signage, and supervision of animal- contact. Risk communication was poor, with few petting zoos outlining risks associated with animal-contact, or providing recommendations for precautions to be taken to reduce these risks. Recommendations made in the second part of this thesis were based on these observations, recent publications, and the suggestions of many health agencies. It focuses on what event planners can do to design and plan a safer event, and what staff working at the event should be aware of in order to inform visitors and lower the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Part two discusses two primary tools to reduce risk of zoonotic disease transmission: sanitation and awareness of risk behaviors. Keeping facilities, animals, and visitors clean, and informing visitors of risky behaviors to avoid, while reinforcing positive messages within the animal- contact area, can lower the risk of zoonotic infection. Included with the second part, is a checklist (see appendix A) designed for visitors to assess whether an event that encourages human-animal interaction poses a high or low risk. By identifying possible risk factors, teachers and parents will be able to make an informed decision about the safety of the human-animal encounter.

Anseriformes mantidos em lagos de zôos e parques estão sob constante risco de exposição às doenças presentes nas populações de aves migratórias, que dividem com eles o mesmo local durante um determinado período todos os anos. São doenças que podem ter implicações para as aves cativas, para a população humana que tem contato com essas aves e para os plantéis de produção. Assim, ações de vigilância, com o objetivo de detectar rapidamente determinadas doenças, representam alternativas interessantes para se fazer gestão de risco. O objetivo do presente estudo foi pesquisar a presença de agentes etiológicos selecionados na população de Cisnes Negros (Cygnus atratus), mantida nos lagos da FPZSP, visto que essa população tem contato com as seguintes aves migrantes que visitam a FPZSP todos os anos: irerês (Dendrocygna viduata), marreca caneleira (Dendrocygna bicolor) e marreca asa de seda (Amazoneta brasiliensis). Assim, foram colhidos suabes de traquéia e cloaca de uma amostra capaz de detectar doença com prevalência estimada em 1% para um nível de confiança de 95%. Além disso, foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo (2001 a 2006) das principais causas de morte nessa população. As principais causas de mortalidade registradas em 184 registros analisados foram: desvio de tendão extensor tarso-metatarsiano (37, 20,1%), desnutrição (20, 10,9%), problemas hepáticos (17, 9,2%), traumas (15, 8,2%), problemas respiratórios (8, 4,3%), septicemias (6, 3,3%), intoxicações (5, 2,7%) e problemas gastrointestinais (3, 1,6%). Um terço das carcaças (62, 33,7%) foi encontrado em estado de putrefação. A taxa de mortalidade foi decrescente de 2001 a 2006 e apresentou sazonalidade, sendo maior entre os meses de novembro a maio. No momento das coletas, não houve nenhuma evidência clínica ou laboratorial da presença dos seguintes agentes: Pasteurella multocida., Salmonella sp., Chlamydophila psittaci, Orthomixovírus (Influenza Aviária), Paramixovirus (Doença de Newcastle) e Coronavirus (Bronquite Infecciosa). / Waterfowls housed in ponds of zoos and parks are under constant risk of exposure to pathogens of migratory birds that visit these places every year. Some of them involving zoo animals and humans. The spread of particular diseases may also become a serious threat for domestic poultry. So, surveillance, focused in early detection of some diseases, can be an interesting tool to do risk management. The goal of the present work was to search the presence of some select pathogens in the captive black swan population (Cygnus atratus) present in the ponds of the Fundação Parque Zoológico de São Paulo (FPZSP), because these animals have contact with the following free-living waterfowls: white-faced whistling-duck (Dendrocygna viduata), fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) e brasilian teal (Amazoneta brasiliensis). Swabs of trachea and cloaca were sampled from 239 animals, the sample size required for detecting disease present in at least 1% of the animals (CI = 95%). Moreover, a retrospective study was done about the causes of death to the period from 2001 to 2006. The mainly causes of black swan death in FPZSP were: slipped tendon (37/184, 20,1%), malnutrition (20/184, 10,9%), hepatic problem (17/184, 9,2%), trauma (15/184, 8,2%), respiratory problem (8/184, 4,3%), septicemias (6/184, 3,3%), intoxication (5/184, 2,7%) e gastro-intestinal problems(3/184, 1,6%). One third of the carcass (62/184, 33,7%) was in autolysis. The mortality presented peaks of occurrence from november to may and a decreasing trend from 2001 to 2006. At the moment of the sampling, there was no clinical or laboratorial evidence of the infection by the following pathogens: Pasteurella multocida., Salmonella sp., Chlamydophila psittaci, Orthomixovírus (Avian Influenza), Paramixovirus (Newcastle Disease) e Coronavirus (Infectious Bronchitis).

When a species is housed in captivity there are facets of the managed environment that can impact on individual and population welfare. A key component of an individual’s environment is its social environment, which can have important implications for animal health and welfare. Highly social species may experience impoverished welfare if kept in captive groups that differ in size, structure and demographic to that experienced by free-living animals. Amongst the most common of social animals to be housed in captivity are the flamingos (Phoenicopteridae). The unique evolutionary biology of these birds means that key aspects of their behaviour depends upon group living. A positive relationship between breeding success and increasing flock size has previously been noted, but how flamingo flocks are structured socially remains mysterious. All six species of flamingo are currently found in captive collections. The three more generalist species, greater (Phoenicopterus roseus), Caribbean (P. ruber) and Chilean (P. chilensis) flamingos are found commonly in zoos and can, under the right conditions, breed well. The other flamingo species are much more specialised in their habitat and dietary requirements and have proved more challenging with regards to their captive management. These three species are the Andean (Phoenicoparrus andinus), James’ (P. jamesi) and lesser (Phoeniconaias minor) flamingos. All six species are included in the experimental work presented in this thesis. This research aimed to evaluate specific elements of flamingo group living using social network analysis (SNA). It also aimed to assess influences of the captive environment (i.e. enclosure style and visitor number) and climate on enclosure usage, time-activity budgets and behavioural diversity to provide, as far as possible, a complete insight into how to measure, assess and evaluate captive flamingo welfare. A synthesis of the relevance of SNA to zoo animal management, and a review of current literature to identify research needs that could evidence good flamingo husbandry form the basis of the first two chapters. These two overview chapters support the questions asked in the following data-based sections of the thesis. Flamingos were observed at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre from March 2012 to July 2016 with data on patterns of social associations being collected four times daily (depending upon weather and bird husbandry). Associations were defined as birds within one neck length of each other and, using photos, the affiliations of each bird in the group were recorded. For assessment of bond strength, network position and identification of preferred/avoided partners a Half-Weight Index was applied to these data. Permutation testing was applied to association matrices to determine the difference between the number of observed preferential bonds (and avoided bonds) and Mantel tests were used to compare matrix correlations to assess differences between seasons, species, years and enclosures (where appropriate). The SNA programmes Socprog, UCInet and Netdraw were used to analyse network data. These network data form the basis of three chapters and show that flamingos associate preferentially with non-random bonds occurring in all flocks observed. Influences of social bonds on courtship display were also examined, and temporal changes in association were considered across time, season and year. Finally, to see any influence of animal health on bond preferences, scores of foot condition (used to identify and evaluate the presence and severity of pododermatitis on an individual bird) were analysed alongside of network measures for three flocks of flamingos. To measure enclosure usage, each species’ exhibit was measured and zones accessible to the birds were defined. As exhibit use can be based on resource use (and these resources can form differently-sized areas within an exhibit) a modified Spread of Participation Index (SPI) was used to provide an outcome between 1 (one area or resource used more than others) and 0 (equal use of all resource zones). Time-activity budgets were calculated for all flocks over daytime, and for one flock (measured using remote camera traps) over night. These data are presented in two chapters and demonstrate that captive flamingos can change their activity patterns in a similar manner to that noted in wild birds. Interestingly, flamingos are very active during the night and this provides useful data for zoo personnel to consider when re-assessing husbandry and management plans for these most ubiquitous of zoo birds.

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The primary goal of this dissertation was to gain a better understanding of individuals’ membership benefits preferences and attitudes toward donation programs in the context of urban zoo settings. The first objective of this dissertation was to provide a background on membership and donation related research in the context of zoos and other relevant organizations. Based on the review of literature, the second objective was to empirically examine, through two independent studies, zoo membership benefit preferences and attitudes toward a donation program. <div><br></div><div>Despite a wealth of knowledge in the literature with respect to zoo visitors, animals, exhibits, and related programs, little research has been conducted on individuals’ preferences for zoo membership benefit packages and attitudes toward donation programs. To fill the gaps in these areas, the first empirical study examined factors that influence current and prospective members’ decision-making when choosing a membership package at an urban zoo. More specifically, the study explored preferences for selected membership program benefits and benefit levels, as well as how these preferences varied among visitors grouped by key segmentation variables. The study findings suggested that price of membership package was the most important factor, followed by the discount on food and beverage and the proportion of membership fees devoted to animal conservation. As expected, the visitors who scored high on place attachment to the zoo were more supportive of the zoo and less sensitive to variations in the specific options included in the zoo’s membership package. <br></div><div><br></div><div>In the second study, attitudes toward a donation program at an urban zoo were examined. In particular, this study investigated subgroups’ differences segmented by their membership status, place attachment levels, and attitudinal positions. A two-dimensional/bivariate attitude approach was employed to explore potential differences among attitudinal position groups. The study findings indicated while most respondents held positive attitudes toward the donation program, zoo members and nonmembers did not differ significantly. The likelihood of joining the donation program was significantly higher for those in the positive dominant attitude group compared to those in the negative dominant and equally ambivalent groups. Additionally, a qualitative analysis revealed that many respondents were concerned about the cost or affordability of the donation program; and perceived the benefits of the program as a poor value.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Collectively, the two empirical studies provide useful insight for managers and professionals charged with developing membership and donation programs in zoological parks and other relevant organizations. The study results also suggest a number of potentially productive directions for future research in these areas.<br></div><div><br></div>