Why is an enclosure as big as it is?
Part of my research question for my PhD is looking at the effect of enclosure design and exhibit space on animal behaviour, and the level of activity that animals within perform. Animal enclosures need to replicate important parts of the inhabitant's natural environment so that they feel safe, secure and contented in their exhibit. There are lots of research papers out there that go into great detail on how to ensure an exhibit is "up to scratch" but it is actually quite easy to do. You simply have to consider: what does the species do in the wild?, what does it need to do it to behave naturally?
In the case of the flamingo working out what a bird needs in its enclosure is actually very easy. Flamingos are semi-aquatic and are hence designed to perform the majority of their behaviour in and around water. It is important that the water in a flamingo enclosure is useable space and that the birds can perform an array of different activities with it. Stand and watch the birds in the new Flamingo Lagoon enclosure and you'll see paddling, swimming, up-ending, and the flamingos using all of the available water to good effect.
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By watching the birds and taking photos of where they are in their exhibit, as well as what they're doing I am able to see which parts of their enclosures they really like and which areas they don't use as much. As flamingos are very social birds it can help to know how the flock uses its exhibit so that important behaviours such as courtship and nesting will be performed by as many birds as possible and in the "right" areas for successful breeding. Because flamingo exhibits are water, mud, and more mud and water measuring dimension of different parts of the enclosure (to see which areas are being used the most) means waterproofs, wellies and a sturdy trundle wheel! By calculating how much area an enclosure is in total, you can calculate the time spent in each specific part to get an idea of where the birds like to be. But you have to prepared to do some wading...!
