The COVID-19 pandemic forced zoo closures worldwide, creating unprecedented welfare challenges as animals lost visitor revenue, routine enrichment, and familiar keeper contact during prolonged lockdowns.
The lockdown period revealed how dependent modern zoo welfare models are on visitor-generated income and the incidental enrichment of human presence. Animals with strong human-keeper bonds showed anxiety indicators when contact routines broke down. Conversely, shy or noise-sensitive species such as okapi and some nocturnal mammals showed reduced stress during the quiet period. The crisis accelerated welfare innovation, with many zoos developing enrichment protocols that do not depend on visitor interaction.