Zoo Biology 16:343–347 (1997) © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. BRIEF REPORT Attitude of Zoo Visitors to the Idea of Feeding Live Prey to Zoo Animals Raymond Ings, 1 Natalie K. Waran, 1 and Robert J. Young 2 * 1 IERM, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom 2 Animal Department, Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Two hundred UK zoo visitors were asked about their attitudes regarding the feeding of live prey to zoo animals. All visitors agreed with live insects being fed to lizards, providing it was done off-exhibit, and only 4% objected if done on-exhibit. Seventy-two percent of visitors agreed with live fish being fed to penguins on-exhibit and 84.5% agreed to feeding live fish off-exhibit. However, only 32% agreed to a live rabbit being fed to a cheetah on exhibit, whereas 62.5% agreed to this if done off-exhibit. In general we found female interviewees more likely to object to the feeding of live vertebrate prey. Comments volun- teered by interviewees suggested that they agreed with feeding live vertebrate prey because ‘it is natural’. If they objected, it was because ‘it would upset them or their children’. Zoo Biol 16:343–347, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Key words: attitudes; feeding; live prey; welfare INTRODUCTION One of the greatest animal welfare challenges facing zoos is the feeding of carnivores. Carnivores such as big cats appear highly motivated to hunt [Leyhausen, 1979; Beaver, 1980], but are usually unable to do so in captivity. Hughes and Duncan [1988] consider the thwarting of a highly motivated behavior to result in reduced animal welfare. A number of studies have linked the performance of abnormal be- havior by carnivores (generally assumed to be indicative of sub-optimal animal wel- fare [e.g., Mason, 1991]), to the lack of opportunity to express ‘natural’ predatory behavior [Hughes and Duncan, 1988; Markowitz, 1982]. The use of live prey is perhaps ideal for allowing the expression of predatory behaviors. Correspondence to: Robert J. Young, Animal Department, Edinburgh Zoo, Murrayfield, Edinburgh, EH12 6TS, U.K. E-mail: rjyoung@netcomuk.co.uk Received for publication 1 July 1996; revision accepted 28 March 1997.