The Mammal Research Institute (MRI) is proud to celebrate PhD student Bruce Crossey, whose research has been featured in the latest edition of UP’s flagship magazine, RE.Search. This issue, themed “Global”, showcases research that has impact far beyond South Africa’s borders.

The article, “Listening in on Emotion: A New Way to Understand Wildlife Tourism,” explores a pioneering approach utilized as part of Bruce’s PhD to study how tourists truly respond to viewing wildlife. Moving beyond traditional memory-based surveys – in collaboration with German ambulatory monitoring specialists Movisens GmbH – this study used wearable sensors to measure tourists’ electrodermal activity, tracking real-time physiological responses such as excitement, joy, and calm during safari encounters. The results challenge conventional assumptions: while iconic animals like elephants remain popular, rare sightings of birds or reptiles often triggered stronger emotional reactions. Context also played a key role – a close elephant encounter spiked excitement by 60%, while overcrowding during a cheetah sighting reduced the emotional impact.

Read the full feature article here.

This research was funded by the Oppenheimer Chair for Emerging African Scientists in Non-invasive Wildlife Research and conducted in collaboration with Movisens GmbH.