Gaps In Zookeepers’ Animal Welfare Education

Animal welfare training is not a consistent part of zoo staff training around the world. In this study, researchers interviewed zoo staff in Europe and China to better understand their views on animal welfare education at work. They found a need for more formalized training in addition to on-the-job experience to improve animal welfare standards in zoos. 

The researchers recruited interview participants from different locations and roles, including keepers, veterinarians, and zoo directors, so that they could capture diverse perspectives. All of the interviewees had the ability to affect animal welfare at their jobs.

The researchers found common themes in both regions studied. The first theme was related to the zookeepers themselves. Zookeepers believed that, in addition to technical and biological knowledge, zoo staff need personal qualities or “soft skills” to be a good fit for their jobs. These soft skills include enthusiasm about zoo-keeping, empathy for animals, and the desire to continue learning. 

The second theme was about the need for more structured and evidence-based training. Zookeepers typically learn on the job, but the interviewees thought that they’d benefit from formal training. The training should include animal welfare, practical animal care skills, and the biology and ecology of the animals. When discussing the ecology of zoo animals, some respondents had a human-centered lens that focused on the duties of humans to provide adequate food and enrichment. Other respondents had an animal-centric lens which focused on allowing the animal to perform their natural behaviors.   

The third and final theme the researchers identified was the barriers to zoo staff education in animal welfare. A lack of money, time, and management support for continuing education were common challenges for both regions studied. Chinese respondents said that zoo staff weren’t motivated to learn more about animal welfare. An Eastern European interviewee pointed out that a lot of educational material is only available in English. This suggests that the workplace culture in many zoos does not value animal welfare education.

Zookeepers generally learn to do their jobs in the process of doing them. Inadequate formal training makes it difficult for zoo staff to address animal welfare. The workplace culture of many zoos doesn’t support putting more effort into training. While many animal advocates object to zoos, the animals currently living in zoos deserve caretakers who are better informed and trained to address their needs. Therefore, zookeepers need more support in learning about animal welfare and in developing the crucial skills that help them provide zoo animals with the best care possible.