Philosophy of Zoos

Ethics in Zoos

A set of standards regulating behavior to distinguish what is acceptable regarding animal care and welfare.

Common Ethical Concerns

Includes animal feeding practices, abnormal behaviors, space and habitat quality, marking, tracking, culling, and enrichment.

Wellbeing

A state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy, achieved by providing animals lifelong opportunities to thrive.

Welfare

An animal's collective physical, mental, and emotional states over time, measured on a continuum from good to poor.

Living Space

The overall environment designed to meet an animal's individual physical, biological, social, and psychological needs.

Human Care

The state wherein animals are kept in confinement and their needs, welfare, and wellbeing are met through human intervention.

Anthropomorphism

Attribution of human characteristics and qualities to non-human animals without biological validity.

Critical Anthropomorphism

Using familiar metaphors to interpret animal behavior while being backed by scientific findings.

Physiological Index

Measures proper nutrition, absence of disease, responsiveness to stimuli, and species-typical cognition.

Behavioral Index

Emulation of natural behaviors and resilience to stress in animals.

Psychological Index

Involves the display of positive emotional states and an absence of abnormal behaviors.

Animal Rights

A belief system that promotes not exploiting non-human animals, arguing they should have the same ethical considerations as humans.

Animal Wellbeing vs Animal Rights

Animal Wellbeing focuses on how animals are treated in human care; Animal Rights is a philosophical belief that animals should not be in captivity.

Culling

The selective removal of animals from a population, often for reasons related to managing animal numbers or health.

Enrichment

Activities or changes in an animal's environment that are intended to improve their quality of life.

Geriatrics in Zoos

Care and management practices for older animals, addressing their specific health and wellbeing needs.