Zoo Animal Welfare

Catalog description

o Zoos and aquariums house an amazing diversity of animal species, each with unique physical, behavioural, physiological, and nutritional needs. The complexities of successfully managing these species in a captive environment are mirrored by the complexities of assessing animal welfare. In this half-credit course, we will explore how definitions of animal welfare apply to wild animals in zoos and aquariums. Based on an understanding of what animal welfare is, and the different ways it can be measured in zoos and aquariums, the course will describe strategies that are used to address animal welfare issues in these captive conditions. These strategies will include the use of environmental enrichment, the application of positive reinforcement training, effective exhibit design, and leveraging available research on captive wild species. While the principles of animal welfare remain consistent across difference captive animal settings (e.g., labs, farms, zoos, and shelters), it is especially important to understand the specific needs of individual species in zoos and aquariums as a way to meet their behavioural needs. This requires effective networking approaches within the scientific and animal care communities to gather knowledge and build effective collaborations, and this course will touch on best practices for building and maintaining effective professional networks. In their final project, students will use their understanding of welfare and principles of environmental enrichment to design an enrichment initiative for a chosen zoo/aquarium species that will have the potential to significantly improve their welfare if implemented in a captive environment. Students will present their designs, and the rationale for their effectiveness to the class.