Solitary species in zoos present specific welfare challenges because their social management needs differ fundamentally from gregarious species. Appropriate housing for solitary animals requires careful individual assessment.
Welfare management for solitary species requires rejecting the assumption that social housing is universally beneficial. While social contact is essential for gregarious species, forcing contact on truly solitary animals causes stress and potential injury. The appropriate welfare approach provides choice: animals should be able to choose their level of conspecific exposure through pen design that allows olfactory and acoustic contact without forced visual or physical proximity. Temporary breeding introductions managed with care and rapid separation capability allow reproduction without compromising the individual welfare of animals that would not cohabit naturally in the wild.