Great apes and other primates in zoos have complex social, cognitive and physical needs that present significant welfare challenges. Standards have improved markedly but important gaps remain.
Zoo primate welfare is a high-profile area of welfare science precisely because our cognitive proximity to great apes makes their suffering particularly visible and resonant. The best primate facilities invest heavily in social management, cognitive enrichment, veterinary care and naturalistic habitat design. The worst still house apes in conditions that produce severe psychological distress. For zoo visitors, assessing whether primates have access to appropriate social groups, enriched environments and visible natural behaviour is a practical welfare evaluation tool.