Behavioral health programs in zoos prevent and treat psychological distress in captive animals.
Zoo behavioral health programs represent a significant advance in captive animal welfare. Training animals to cooperate with veterinary procedures — presenting limbs for blood draws, holding still for injections, following targets — dramatically reduces stress from medical care by replacing restraint with voluntary participation. Cognitive enrichment programs engage animals in problem-solving and natural behavior expression. These programs reflect a shift from managing animal bodies to managing animal minds, recognizing that psychological wellbeing is as important as physical health.