Local psychology students could have a chance to work with the Utica Zoo thanks to a $20,000 grant from Fidelity Investments.

The grant will allow the Zoo to explore a Comparative Psychology program for local college students, and expand the Zoo's Education Department to include academic partnerships with local colleges.

Comparative Psychologist Emerita Dr. Joan M. Sinnott PhD will manage the grant, and is developing 'task oriented feeding' projects using a Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig, an African Crested Porcupine and three Sulcata Tortoises.

The projects involve training animals with conditioning techniques to perform mental and physical tasks that teach them how to think and solve problems and respond to verbal cues from trainers.

The pig and porcupine are learning to 'go left' versus 'go right' to get food treats in response to verbal cues from a trainer.

The tortoises are working on a 'barrier test' where they learn how to go around large objects like logs and concrete blocks to get food treats,

Dr. Sinnott's goal is to combine academic research, animal enrichment and zoo visitor experience with the program.

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