How Zoos Should Take Care Of Animals As They Age
Just like humans, animals go through many physical and behavioral changes as they get older; just as medical science allows humans to live longer, veterinary care and nutrition, advancements in technology, and improvements in research studies have helped to lengthen the life span of animals in zoos. Many animals in zoos now receive special diets and supplements, physical therapy, and even chemotherapy if they get sick. Some zoo animals get thorough medical care and end up living far longer than they would in the wild. Additionally, the focus of much animal welfare is on promoting positive welfare experiences for animals, such as providing opportunities for animals to solve problems, receiving rewards, and engaging with the environment. As animals age, mental stimulation and behavioral enrichment ensure just as much of a positive quality of life as physical exercise does.
This review contains information about common age-related changes among species, and discusses how age-related changes may limit positive welfare experiences of older animals in zoos. It also suggests methods, especially non-medical interventions, to maximize positive welfare opportunities for older animals at all life stages in zoos. This review is separated into physical changes and cognitive and behavioral changes.
Body Mass and Composition
Changes in body composition associated with ageing can result in weight gain or weight loss.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Maintaining a variety of food items in the diet can be useful for achieving weight management goals.
- Daily enrichment opportunities can be used to stimulate physical conditioning and movement.
- Identifying alternatives to high calorie rewards given during training will help reduce weight gain.
Skin and Feather or Coat Condition
Many animals lose elasticity in their skin with age due to a decline in collagen production, resulting in dry skin, chronic itching, and declines in overall coat quality.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Applying tropical treatments can help keep zoo animals comfortable.
- Providing additional heat sources, shelters, or bedding, and training animals to wear blankets, can help zoo animals maintain an appropriate body temperature.
Dental Issues
Tooth wear is a natural age-related condition in most zoo animals. Dental pain may contribute to digestive issues due to inability to properly chew food.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Providing zoo animals with a diet of different foods and textures allows them to make choices in their daily life.
- Consulting a nutritionist is important to ensure the variety of foods offered are nutritionally balanced.
Degenerative Joint Disorders and Lameness
Degenerative joint issues include limited range of motion, swelling of joints, changes to posture, and muscle weakness.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Physical therapy, chiropractic care, cold/heat therapy, massage, cold laser treatment, acupuncture, and nutritional supplements may be used to reduce pain in ageing animals.
- Shorter steps, less steep inclines, and larger or additional platforms in exhibits can give zoo animals more options in their living quarters.
- Offering more bedding or raised bedding can allow zoo animals to lay down or stand up more easily.
Changes to Sleep Cycles
Older zoo animals may spend more time awake during their typical sleep period or have shorter bouts of sleep at varied times throughout the day.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Providing flexibility in daily schedules for zoo animals and in giving them indoor/outdoor access throughout the day, can help zoo animals self-regulate their activity levels and provides them with a degree of control over their own schedule.
Changes to Activity Levels
Declines in overall activity levels are common with older zoo animals.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Excessive lethargy should be evaluated for underlying medical issues.
- Behavioral monitoring throughout zoo animals’ lives can clarify what their normal activity level is.
Changes in Social Interactions
As zoo animals become older, they may become more aggressive towards others, become less interested to be part of a group, or want more social interactions.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Providing more private areas where zoo animals can go to avoid unwanted social interactions and careful monitoring of the zoo animals’ behavioral responses to different situations, can help to maintain positive welfare experiences.
Confusion, Disorientation, and Slower Learning
Memory lapses may become more frequent with age and may impact the zoo animals’ ability to move around well-known spaces and recognize social companions or keepers.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Ruling out changes in sight or hearing, maintaining consistency in daily routines, and simplifying training plans will help to maintain positive welfare experiences for zoo animals.
Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors
When a zoo animal suddenly starts showing an abnormal repetitive behavior, it could indicate acute pain, discomfort, or neurological changes.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Conducting a complete assessment of the environment and overall welfare state of the zoo animal is the key first step.
Sensory Decline
Many zoo animals will experience changes to the lens of the eye as they get older. Zoo animals will also experience a decline in hearing as they age.
How to maximize positive welfare changes:
- Training and enrichment activities should be modified to accommodate the decline in hearing and/or sight in zoo animals.
- Lights flashing, visual cues, or audio cues when a human caretaker enters their space, will help lessen negative experiences for zoo animals.
Caring for older animals in zoos requires highly individualized care across many different skill levels, including nutritionists, veterinarian specialists, behaviorists, and trainers. Planning ahead for different life stages, consistent monitoring, and ongoing behavioral assessments are critical for the welfare of all zoo animals. The current focus of animal welfare science is in promoting positive welfare experiences for animals; to that end, behavioral enrichment, positive reinforcement training, and providing animals with opportunities to exert control in their daily lives, could all help keep zoo animals physically and psychologically fit – as much as is possible in captivity – throughout their lives.
For animal advocates, the study outlines a clear list of ways to maximize positive welfare for aging zoo animals. Of course, since most animal advocates don’t work at zoos or set zoo policies, this could instead serve as a list of welfare improvements for advocates to campaign for. While animal advocates generally oppose zoo captivity, it’s important to provide those captive animals with better lives, whenever possible.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/8/7/116
Citations:
Krebs, B.L.; Marrin, D.; Phelps, A.; Krol, L.; Watters, J.V. (2018). Managing Aged Animals in Zoos to Promote Positive Welfare: A Review and Future Directions. Animals, 8, 116.
