Miami University graduate student Karina Altman was published in Animal Keepers’ Forum. Her article, “Do Displays Influence Zoo Guest Reactions to a Mexican Fireleg Tarantula Brachypelma boehmei?” focuses on how she studied whether displays influenced her zoo guests' perceptions of the world's most feared animal - a spider. 

Using an endangered Mexican fireleg tarantula (Brachypelma boehmei) named Deborah, Altman presented both a strictly scientific and a personalized anthropomorphic display of the spider over the course of four weeks and observed guest reactions to each type of display. There were significantly more positive reactions to the personalized display than to the scientific display. She hopes these results will encourage other zoological institutions to evaluate their displays of non-charismatic, misunderstood, or feared animals. Inspiring empathy through personalized displays can improve guest perceptions of them and hopefully inspire support for their conservation.

Altman is earning a Master of Arts (MA) in the biological sciences from Miami through Project Dragonfly‘s Advanced Inquiry Program with experiential learning at Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Altman is the Animal Programs Manager at the Ark Encounter's Ararat Ridge Zoo in Williamstown, Kentucky. As an AIP student, Altman connects many of her master’s assignments into her work as animal programs manager. 

Altman is pictured here with Luna, an Eurasian eagle owl and her favorite animal at the zoo.