Sound as Enrichment for Birds & Animals

Free
Location: Morse Auditorium
In-person

Zoos can expose the disconnect between humans and other species by displaying the imbalance between visitors seeking entertainment and animals suffering from a lack of meaningful interactions. Dr. Rébecca Kleinberger presents her collaborations with zoos, wildlife experts and preservation centers to benefit animals in managed care, using technology — specifically sound.

These interventions range from “Joy Branch,” an ergonomic interface that allows a Macaw to control his sonic environment, to an incubator that maintains vocal interaction between bird parents and eggs during artificial incubation, to an acoustic monitoring system for real-time classification of giant panda vocalization. Through these examples, this talk proposes insights and principles to help re-envision zoos of the future for the benefit of the animals and their wellbeing.

Co-sponsored by the Essex County Ornithological Club (ECOC). A brief ECOC club meeting will take place from 7:30–7:45 pm. All are welcome to attend.