Welfare requirements of chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans in zoological settings and the enrichment standards that support their complex behavioral and cognitive needs.
Great ape welfare in zoos sits at the intersection of high welfare achievability and high welfare requirements. These cognitively complex animals have sophisticated social, cognitive, and environmental needs that require substantial investment to meet adequately. Progressive zoos have invested in naturalistic outdoor enclosures, complex social groupings, and extensive enrichment programs that support behavioral health. Older facilities with barren indoor enclosures produce higher rates of stereotypic behavior and social dysfunction. The standard for great ape welfare has risen significantly with welfare science advances, and facilities that fail to meet these higher standards should face pressure to improve or transfer animals to better-equipped institutions.