Are prey species in captivity affected by the presence of predators? (i.e. wolves and deer)

Arthropodics

Arthropodics
Currently designing a nature park for native UK fauna (current and locally extinct), and was separating them by habitat (forest vs grassland vs tundra vs wetlands) and was thinking, is it really good animal management to house deer near wolves.

Certain prey species are hardwired to recognise the scents of their main predators (see https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnins.2015.00363/full). If these species are housed with distance between them I assume it should be okay, due to the wild mix of scents across a zoo/wildlife park.

Sometimes though, they might be housed closer, which seems like it would make the deer act more due to the scents they can pick up. Is it something that deer and other prey species can become habituated to over time, or does the constant stimuli just increase stress? I have tried looking around for answers on this but cannot find much. I thought I would as it seems something that should play into zoo design as increased stress and vigilance could cause a whole host of issues for captive ungulates.

I guess the same applies to dogs, as some studies show dogs have the same/similar effect, which is why some zoos have blanket-banned dogs. Any thoughts would be appreciated though I accept this is largely outside the purview of most discussion here.
 

Markiz

Markiz
Well I heard this thing, problem is I can't remember when and where, that certain amount of stress and vigilance is desirable in captive "prey".

Now I might get some stuff wrong, because I am grasping at memories here, but it's some form of enrichment and it stops animals from getting bored/stagnat. Somewhat keeping their natural instincts "online".

Some types of monkeys and/or apes also get stress from unfamiliarity, like when the habitat that they used to gets rearranged, and still zookeepers are encouraged to rearrange monkey habitat specifically for that reason.

If I find link/video wherever I got this from I'll post it here
 

Spiderhawk

Spiderhawk
Here’s my thought. While this is a game, I like to put myself in someone else’s shoes or in this case hooves. I would be constantly on guard and or cautious if I so much as noted a predator species in eye sight, just because there’s a barrier, I wouldn’t know that I am safe.
In game, deer will walk up the the barrier and say “sup” to the wolves and bears.

In real life here’s what I can remember.
Beardsley zoo South American animals section, the Andean bears are pretty separate and have next to no view of the peccary’s or rheas. Next to them are the anteaters who are next to the manned wolfs, no issues. I still don’t understand why anteaters and manned wolfs cohabitat in game and real life as in they are natural allies.
Phoenix wildlife park: I noted raptors in avairies close to small birds. That stumped me as I would imagine the raptors are lock/focus on wanting to kill one of those birds and thought the birds would remain quite knowing a predator is near by similar to a false owl that you place near your window or garden and birds go quite.

I’ve seen photos of cheetahs with water buffalos. I wouldn’t feel comfortable if I was either animal. I hear that zoos have used ASCO with binturongs but the binturongs stay in the trees as if afraid. Then again there’s a video of golden tamarins that had a scary relationship with otters which ended in tragedy.
 

SuzieSky

SuzieSky
Spiderhawk said:
I’ve seen photos of cheetahs with water buffalos. I wouldn’t feel comfortable if I was either animal. I hear that zoos have used ASCO with binturongs but the binturongs stay in the trees as if afraid. Then again there’s a video of golden tamarins that had a scary relationship with otters which ended in tragedy.
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I know the Smithsonian keeps zebras next to the cheetahs deliberately. The cheetahs like watching the zebras, and the zebras are too big to care about being watched by a cheetah. Knowing zebra temperament, I'd imagine they fantasize about bullying the cheetahs, too. It provides enrichment for both.
 

Mjmannella

Mjmannella
Arthropodics said:
Sometimes though, they might be housed closer, which seems like it would make the deer act more due to the scents they can pick up. Is it something that deer and other prey species can become habituated to over time, or does the constant stimuli just increase stress?
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This isn't a feature in Planet Zoo. However, mixing predator and prey species leads to stress or predation, depending on the size of the species involved. Even mixing bush elephants with sand cats will still lead to stress.
 

jcp011c

jcp011c
Mjmannella said:
This isn't a feature in Planet Zoo. However, mixing predator and prey species leads to stress or predation, depending on the size of the species involved. Even mixing bush elephants with sand cats will still lead to stress.
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for the most part but I think there are some few exceptions within the game. Meerkats seem to be coded differently than most of the carnivores, they don't tend to bother other animals, at least in my experience. Granted I haven't put them with every animal. Maybe elephants rightly just don't give much concern about meerkats hunting them down.

Then you've got the Sun Bear and Binturong situation, while neither are prey species, typically two carnivore species won't get along in the same habitat either. Yet, it almost seems like those two go together.
 

Aramar

Aramar
In Bioparc Valencia the savannah herbivores and lions can see each others
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markun

markun
The Highland Wildlife Park has wolves next to reindeer and snow leopards next to markhor and Edinburgh Zoo has Sumatran tigers next to nyala.

I remember being told that animals very quickly come to realise where they are safe and what the challenges are in their environment and that essentially the prey species come to realise that the predators don’t represent a threat.

Additionally, the Highland Wildlife Park snow leopard enclosure is at times (when the cats are inside) open to markhor for grazing and the smells are viewed as enriching to both species.

Some animals do not thrive though - not a prey species but cheetah do not do well in close proximity to larger cats like lions if I remember correctly.
 

SanRazo

SanRazo
Mjmannella said:
This isn't a feature in Planet Zoo. However, mixing predator and prey species leads to stress or predation, depending on the size of the species involved. Even mixing bush elephants with sand cats will still lead to stress.
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I miss how in Zt2 predators would stalk adjacent prey species as a pack for enrichment. Happened a lot with Raptors, lions, and Wolves. If I remember correctly the prey species would run for a little in fear of the predator even if it wasn’t in danger. (Animal interactions were ahead of their time in that game)
 

Marvinb

Marvinb
I think its not a clear cut think and probably depends on the species, setup and probably also indivuduals.
I know cheetahs are also animals that often dont do well when housed near other predators like lions.
Speaking of lions, i know of one zoo where lions and spotted hyenas are next to each other and they really stress each other to the point where i think they had to relocate them.
 

SanRazo

SanRazo
Marvinb said:
I think its not a clear cut think and probably depends on the species, setup and probably also indivuduals.
I know cheetahs are also animals that often dont do well when housed near other predators like lions.
Speaking of lions, i know of one zoo where lions and spotted hyenas are next to each other and they really stress each other to the point where i think they had to relocate them.
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Lions and hyenas are enemies so makes sense
 
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