札幌市円山動物園でのチンパンジーの樹上行動における空間利用の特性

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  • CHARACTERISTICS OF SPATIAL UTILIZATION IN THE ARBOREAL BEHAVIOR OF CHIMPANZEES AT SAPPORO MARUYAMA ZOO
  • サッポロシ マルヤマ ドウブツエン デ ノ チンパンジー ノ ジュ ジョウギョウドウ ニ オケル クウカン リヨウ ノ トクセイ

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 Nowadays, zoos are expected to make an important contribution to the conservation of biodiversity through species preservation involving the breeding of rare animals, and facilities capable of raising animals are required to take their living environment into account. Apes in particular have advance intelligence, and thus are susceptible to stress in their living environment. One after another, Japanese zoos are introducing towers in their facilities for arboreal apes (chimpanzees, and orangutans) for environmental enrichment. Though many towers have been built, research studies have not been conducted to find out how the animals are using the facilities from the perspective of architecture and landscape. The purpose of this study is to identify the spatial utilization during the behavior of chimpanzees on trees in zoos from an architectural perspective and design tower configurations in consideration of behavioral characteristics.<br> We selected the outdoor tower of the chimpanzee facility at Sapporo Maruyama Zoo for this study; one of the tallest and largest facilities in Japan and one with a large breeding population. We divided the shape and materials of the tower into constituent elements such as columns, beams, ladders, decks, pipes, and ropes, and a conducted a behavior analysis focusing on the tower elements frequently used by the chimpanzees in their tree-borne behavior. We recorded arboreal behavior dividing it into locations on trees of mainly static behavior of relatively long duration and instantaneous and dynamic behavior of relatively short duration. The on-tree rate was 81.5%, which was close to the 81.1% rate of the Kyoto University Primate Research Institute and the 83.7%rate in the wild at Bossou. The frequency of arboreal behavior was 3.72 times/minute, a value that can be expected to attract the attention of zoo visitors.<br> We found that chimpanzees preferred higher locations where visitors could not look down on them, and they simultaneously used a combination of locations that can support their torsos with a stable posture and members of graspable size located slightly above them when maintaining their posture on trees. The results showed that chimpanzees travel back and forth 20 m between the trees and the ground, and prevent falling by grasping branches. This matched the behavioral characteristics of wild semi-arboreal ape chimpanzees and was a major factor in chimpanzee selection of locations on the tower. Moreover, we found that during arboreal behavior, the chimpanzees use members that support their torsos and members of graspable size, and the distance between the elements was within their height range. Adults preferred firm members for gripping rather than unstable components like long swaying ropes, while children and infants frequently used continuous members such as nets and trusses, revealing that which elements were used differed depending on age.<br> Taking into account these behavior characteristics, the conditions required for tower configuration are the providing of various spots on a tower combining members to support torsos with a stable posture and peripheral elements of shapes and sizes for grasping. Both elements can be provided by setting up a steel truss structure using pipes of graspable sizes, enabling a structure with a very effective configuration. Usage based on individual size and athletic ability is enabled if the horizontal distance between members such as beams is less than the height of adults, and if members are arranged at an incline. Paying attention to creating locations on trees receiving shade, arranging them at heights in relation to visitors and other details, as well as adding ropes and nets for children, are also necessary.

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