Frustrated wildlife migrants

[Tinkerbell]

Has anyone studied the behaviour of birds or mammals which normally depart for warmer/colder climates, but are unable to do so because they are held in captivity at zoos, wildlife parks, animal sanctuaries etc?

The instinct of their activity is so compelling and I wonder if they simply become accustomed to their present environment, or behave differently at their normal migration times. Perhaps as generations evolve, such instincts diminish but how is it for those who are new to our environment, and who do not have the opportunity to migrate as normal.

Tinkerbell

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

Has anyone studied the behaviour of birds or mammals which normally depart for warmer/colder climates, but are unable to do so because they are held in captivity at zoos, wildlife parks, animal sanctuaries etc?

The instinct of their activity is so compelling and I wonder if they simply become accustomed to their present environment, or behave differently at their normal migration times. Perhaps as generations evolve, such instincts diminish but how is it for those who are new to our environment, and who do not have the opportunity to migrate as normal.

Tinkerbell

generally the urge to migrate is triggered by either a change in temperature or a shortage of food, for animals in captivity they have ample food and they generally have heated quarters for when waether is inclement so these triggers dont occur.

it is also woerth remembering that these days most of the animals in zoos etc arent wild caught but bred from other captive stock

[aeshna5]

Certainly these days there a flocks of feral geese whose wild ancestors are regularly migratory, but the feral geese tend not to migrate.

There are now several feral flocks of Barnacle Geese that move only locally unlike wild populations retrning to Spitsbergen,etc. Similarly most if not all the Greylag in southern England are of feral origin + only move locally, though there is a resident native population in Scotland as well as a migratory population from Iceland.

Interestingly some introduced Canada Geese do have some small migratory populations within the UK, though the birds around London appear to be resident.

[Dogghound]

The urge to migrate in birds is triggered by day length. So not something which is controlled in a zoo. Interesting question.