Zoo Animal Medicine
Animal Welfare
Animal welfare refers to an animal’s collective physical, mental, and social well-being over a period of time and is measured from good to poor. Animal welfare should be assessed at the individual level if possible, but group and species levels may be necessary for certain species and populations. To have good animal welfare, the animal must be given opportunities to thrive. This includes proper diet, comfortable shelter, good physical health, opportunities to perform natural behaviour, and appropriate levels of stress.
Environmental Enrichment
Environmental enrichment allows zoo animals to demonstrate their natural behaviour and gives them the ability to exercise control or choice over their environment. It is used by zoos to promote mental wellness and enhance overall well-being. Forms of animal enrichment can include physically or mentally stimulating toys, various activities, and novel environments. It can be argued that enrichment is as important to zoo animal welfare as a proper diet and adequate veterinary care!
Habitat Enrichment
Tiger Tunnels
Elaborate tunnel systems at the Philadelphia Zoo allow the tigers to explore and watch the visitors.
Polar Bears & Snow
These polar bears love Calgary in the winter! Their enclosure has a natural hill that they love to climb and survey the surrounding land.
Warthogs & Mulch Piles
These warthogs enjoy a good mulch pile! They like to burrow in it with their noses.
Food Enrichment
Lions Eating
It’s important to provide lions with food that stimulates their natural behaviours, as well as with the health benefits of chewing directly off of a hide.
Meerkat & Snow
Meerkats love digging their food out of a snow pile! The zookeepers will bring snow into their enclosure in the winter and stuff food in it.
Elk with a Hay Bale
Here an elk was given a bale of hay to eat and destroy (and apparently sit in).
Environmental Enrichment Devices
Giraffe Playing with Door Knocker
Food can’t always be used for enrichment, or else the animals might become obese, resulting in decreased health. Here, the giraffe uses its lips to play with some door knockers.
Octopus Playing with Mr. Potatohead
This octopus loves to take Mr. Potatohead apart!
A Lizard & His Ball
Something as simple as a golf ball can provide novelty to this lizard’s environment, providing mental enrichment.
Behavioural Training
Behavioural training allows zoo animals to participate in their own health care and results in less stress during treatment. Zoo animals aren’t being trained for obedience, like you might train your dog, but rather to learn how to cooperate with the zookeepers as a part of their daily routine, and how to participate voluntarily in their own veterinary care. Modern zoos have chosen voluntary, reward-based training methods that can make training sessions a form of enrichment for the animal.
Snow Leopard Ultrasound
Dr. Whiteside performs an ultrasound on one of the snow leopards at the Calgary Zoo. The assistant feeds the snow leopard during the procedure so that in future she will know that this interaction is a positive experience.
Polar Bear Blood Collection
A polar bear at the Toronto Zoo is being trained for blood collection. The assistant feeds him during the procedure so that he will have a positive association with blood collection in the future. This is a form of enrichment for the polar bear.
Lion Injection Training
Dr. Whiteside performs an injection on Baruti the lion at the Calgary Zoo. The assistant feeds Baruti evaporated milk – his favourite! This ensures that Baruti associates receiving any sort of injection with a positive experience, reducing the amount of stress he endures.