Animal research at theme parks is increasingly under the microscope

Animal research at theme parks is increasingly under the microscope By Orlando Sentinel, adapted by Newsela staff on 09.23.15 Word Count 947 Shana Lavin, a research manager (left), talks with Jackie Ogden, vice president of animal programs, as they work in the lab while guests watch at the animal science center at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, Aug. 19, 2015. Photo: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/TNS ORLANDO, Fla. At Raﬁki s Planet Watch at Disney s Animal Kingdom, the animals and wildlife are not the only things on display. Tourists can also peer into a lab where researchers work includes studying hormones extracted from monkey droppings. A few miles away at SeaWorld, a Pennsylvania researcher recently scrutinized dolphins and whales swimming patterns for a study that could lead to advances in underwater robotic systems for tasks such as mine detection. Theme parks might be popular as a means of escaping reality, but in many cases there is very real scientiﬁc research going on behind the scenes. Disney staffers, for example, have published about 2,500 research papers on their ﬁndings.

The research we do here is critical to how it is that we care for animals here as well as in the wild, said Jackie Ogden, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts vice president of animals, science and environment. Science Is Also Good Public Relations The Association of Zoos and Aquariums requires a demonstrated commitment to scientific research for the accreditation it gives Disney s Animal Kingdom and SeaWorld. The work is also good public relations. This is particularly important right now for SeaWorld. Attendance has suffered amid controversy over the the treatment of their captive whales. It allows them to go out and say, Look at all the wonderful things we do for these animals. This is the good side of being a zoo and having animals in captivity, said Scott Smith, a hospitality professor at the University of South Carolina. Epcot s Future World has had a scientific focus ever since it opened in 1982. At The Land, which features agriculture grown with a variety of methods, visitors taking the Behind the Seeds tour can see wasps bred to keep pests in check. Two U.S. Department of Agriculture scientists are also there studying more efficient ways to grow pears, Disney said. Things changed in 1998 when Animal Kingdom opened. Research really became sort of a larger effort, Ogden said. For Mandrill Monkeys, Disney's Assistance Was Critical In reality, most of the analysis at the attraction revolves around monitoring the health of its own mammals, reptiles and birds. Despite this, many members of Disney's staff who hold advanced science degrees also contribute to conservation efforts outside Disney. Animal Kingdom scientist Shana Lavin is working with the Jane Goodall Institute to examine the health of colorful African monkeys named mandrills, which are being released back into the wild. The Jane Goodall Institute s Republic of Congo sanctuary collected almost 3,000 samples of mandrill dung, dried them out and shipped them to Disney. Lavin then developed a system to detect hormones from them to determine stress levels throughout the relocation process. Miles Woodruff, the institute s mandrill project manager, said involving Disney was critical because they have a world-class lab", and they are experts in endocrinology a branch of biology which studies glands and the endocrine system.

Disney World Conservation Director Anne Savage is considered a leader in the field of preserving another type of monkey: the critically endangered cotton-top tamarin. The small Colombian natives are known for being difficult to track. At Disney, Savage worked on a method to count them in the wild. She designed special transmitters that can be worn on their backs. Savage also used hair dye as an identifier. She tested this method on the Disney cotton-tops first to ensure seeing colored fur on their companions wouldn t upset them. Broad Respect For Disney Disney has also been credited with contributing to sea turtle research. It has done studies showing negative effects of sea walls on nests. It has also produced important data on the migration of purple martin birds, which frequently roost at Disney World. The company is really respected with both the scientific and conservation communities, said Alan Bolten, associate director of the University of Florida s Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research. The idea of research at animal theme parks has its skeptics, though. Not everyone is convinced about the credibility of research coming out of such profit-driven organizations. It is an interesting thing to see amusement parks that keep animals captive for profit-making purposes try to justify that with science, said Kathy Guillermo, a senior vice president with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Criticism Of SeaWorld Is Sharper Animal rights organizations have taken a harsher view of SeaWorld s research than Disney s. The groups say they are more supportive of programs that benefit animals in the wild and don t use captive ones directly. Orlando-based SeaWorld Entertainment says the studies it has done benefit both its own animals and those in the wild. The company says its research contributes to the understanding of topics including metabolism, sleep patterns and reproduction. Most of SeaWorld s studies have been carried out by scientists from universities or research institutes, although SeaWorld says its own staffers have worked on more than 350 papers. Much of the research has a biological focus. Some of it, however, has implications in fields such as engineering. Last year, a New Jersey Institute of Technology researcher studied remoras: fish that attach themselves to marine mammals using adhesive discs on their heads. They can be found at SeaWorld s Discovery Cove. Researchers said understanding their mechanics could help improve designs for everything from animal trackers to bandages.

Frank Fish, a biology professor at West Chester University in Pennsylvania, recently observed and recorded dolphins and whales swimming at SeaWorld. He was hoping to better understand the motion of their flukes. Fish's research is supported with money from the Navy, with the expectation that his studies might lead to designs for robotic vehicles that could one day replace live dolphins used for mine detection and other underwater work.

Quiz 1 All of the following details from the article support its central idea EXCEPT: The work is also good public relations. This is particularly important right now for SeaWorld. Attendance has suffered amid controversy over the the treatment of their captive whales. Animal rights organizations have taken a harsher view of SeaWorld s research than Disney s. The groups say they are more supportive of programs that benefit animals in the wild and don t use captive ones directly. Miles Woodruff, the institute s mandrill project manager, said involving Disney was critical because they have a world-class lab", and they are experts in endocrinology a branch of biology which studies glands and the endocrine system. Last year, a New Jersey Institute of Technology researcher studied remoras: fish that attach themselves to marine mammals using adhesive discs on their heads. They can be found at SeaWorld s Discovery Cove. 2 Which of the following sentences would be LEAST important to include in an objective summary of the article? Research became an important part of animal theme parks when Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. Animal theme parks are likely using scientific research as a way to improve their negative public image. Many people who work to care for the animals in animal theme parks are experienced scientists and have advanced science degrees. The research at animal theme parks helps improve the care for the animals in the park, but the findings also help protect and conserve animals in the wild.

3 Read the second paragraph of the section "Science Is Also Good Public Relations" and the last paragraph of the section "Broad Respect For Disney." How are these two paragraphs connected? They both make the argument that animal theme parks help support and advance the scientific research of animals. They both describe how scientific research can be used to help the public image of parks, the first from a positive view and the second from a negative view. They first paragraph describes a solution to the problem of negative public image further developed in the second paragraph. They both predict how animal theme parks might benefit from increasing their involvement in scientific research. 4 How does the section "For Mandrill Monkeys, Disney's Assistance Was Critical" contribute to the article? It provides examples of how the resources and researchers at animal theme parks have helped make discoveries to protect animals in the wild. It summarizes the important larger purposes of the scientific research carried out by the staff at animal theme parks. It discusses how organizations dedicated to animal research are dependent on animal theme parks for technology and experts. It introduces the way animal theme parks have greatly advanced the study of monkeys and other primates.

Answer Key 1 All of the following details from the article support its central idea EXCEPT: The work is also good public relations. This is particularly important right now for SeaWorld. Attendance has suffered amid controversy over the the treatment of their captive whales. Animal rights organizations have taken a harsher view of SeaWorld s research than Disney s. The groups say they are more supportive of programs that benefit animals in the wild and don t use captive ones directly. Miles Woodruff, the institute s mandrill project manager, said involving Disney was critical because they have a world-class lab", and they are experts in endocrinology a branch of biology which studies glands and the endocrine system. Last year, a New Jersey Institute of Technology researcher studied remoras: fish that attach themselves to marine mammals using adhesive discs on their heads. They can be found at SeaWorld s Discovery Cove. 2 Which of the following sentences would be LEAST important to include in an objective summary of the article? Research became an important part of animal theme parks when Animal Kingdom opened in 1998. Animal theme parks are likely using scientific research as a way to improve their negative public image. Many people who work to care for the animals in animal theme parks are experienced scientists and have advanced science degrees. The research at animal theme parks helps improve the care for the animals in the park, but the findings also help protect and conserve animals in the wild.