The 24/7 approach to promoting optimal welfare for captive wild animals
Abstract
We have an ethical responsibility to provide captive animals with environments that allow them to experience good welfare. Husbandry activities are often scheduled for the convenience of care staff working within the constraints of the facility, rather than considering the biological and psychological requirements of the animals themselves. The animal welfare 24/7 across the lifespan concept provides a holistic framework to map features of the animal's life cycle, taking into account their natural history, in relation to variations in the captive environment, across day and night, weekdays, weekends, and seasons. In order for animals to have the opportunity to thrive, we argue the need to consider their lifetime experience, integrated into the environments we provide, and with their perspective in mind. Here, we propose a welfare assessment tool based upon 14 criteria, to allow care staff to determine if their animals' welfare needs are met. We conclude that animal habitat management will be enhanced with the use of integrated technologies that provide the animals with more opportunities to engineer their own environments, providing them with complexity, choice and control.
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Many modern animal wellbeing models require animals to live in species-typical social groups and express normal, non-harmful social behaviours.
“One element of many modern models of animal wellbeing is that animals should be able to live in species-typical social groups and express normal, non-harmful social behaviours.”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [6]
Choice, control, and complexity in animal environments are essential to optimal wellbeing at all stages of life.
“Choice, control, and complexity in the environments of animals are essential to optimal wellbeing in front and back-of-house at all stages of life [6,7].”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [6]
A holistic animal wellbeing program includes access to appropriate nutrition, positive emotions, reduced negative emotions, and species-typical behaviours.
“A holistic animal wellbeing program includes access to appropriate nutrition, experiencing positive emotions, reducing negative emotions, and performing species-typical behaviours [6,9].”
From The Concept of Agency, Animal Wellbeing, and the Practical Realities of Ex Situ Breeding Programs in Zoos and Aquariums (2024) · cites this paper as [6]
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“Choice, control, and complexity in the environments of animals are essential to optimal wellbeing in front and back-of-house at all stages of life [6,7].”
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- Authors
- Brando, S., & Buchanan-Smith, H. M.
- Affiliations
- World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Brando, Sabrina
- ORCID
- Brando, Sabrina
- Venue
- Behavioural Processes
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-11
- Volume
- 156
- Pages
- 83-95
- ISSN
- 0376-6357 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2766149435
- Cited by
- 194
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 44 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 12.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavioural Processes (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Stirling Online Research Repository (University of Stirling) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Keywords
- animal welfare, captive wildlife, animal husbandry, welfare assessment tools, habitat management, animal life cycle, circadian rhythm, seasonal variation, animal welfare ethics
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Animal Husbandry, Animal Welfare, Animals, Wild, Animals, Zoo, Program Evaluation
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