Relationships between exhibit naturalism, animal visibility and visitor interest in a Chinese Zoo Gareth Davey * Psychology and Life Sciences, University of Bolton, Dean Road, Bolton, UK Accepted 27 April 2005 Available online 13 June 2005 Abstract Efforts to meet the welfare needs of captive animals (such as the provision of environmental enrichment and naturalistic furnishings) often compromise visitors’ needs (naturalistic exhibits often decrease the visibility of animals on display even though visitors pay to view them). The literature offers different predictions about how zoo visitors respond to decreased animal visibility in naturalistic exhibits but they require further evaluation. Further, visitor research is currently confined to Europe and America and studies outside these areas are limited. This paper investigates the relationships between exhibit naturalism, animal visibility and visitor interest in a Chinese Zoo. Visitor interest was observed at both naturalistic and barren exhibit designs. The study showed that the influence of animal presence on visitor behaviours was similar at both exhibit designs. Further, visitor interest was not compromised at the naturalistic exhibit when animals were not visible. The results demonstrate that the needs of animals and visitors can be balanced at naturalistic exhibits and support the transformation of exhibits to those representing naturalistic environments. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Exhibit; Naturalism; Visitor; Welfare; Zoo www.elsevier.com/locate/applanim Applied Animal Behaviour Science 96 (2006) 93–102 * Tel.: +86 13660978044. E-mail address: gjd1res@bolton.ac.uk. 0168-1591/$ – see front matter # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2005.04.018