Mr Mark Kingston-Jones - Behavioural Management of Captive Animals: Evolutionary, Mental and Physical Needs

Those working in the animal care industry have many guidelines relating to meeting minimum standards of animal welfare, but are these minimum standards enough? When it comes to providing enrichment for captive animals are we really meeting our animals' needs successfully? Primarily focused on zoo-housed animals, this talk will provide a brief overview of some considerations we should be making to improve animal welfare. Ideas of how we can promote mental and physical fitness will be discussed, and examples for how targeted goal-oriented enrichment can be used to address evolutionary needs will be provided. The conclusion will discuss how we might navigate issues, which currently limit these practises from happening on a much wider scale.