Mandrills are the world's largest monkeys, living in complex multi-male troops. Zoo welfare requires large social groups, extensive foraging enrichment, and respect for the complex dominance relationships that structure their societies.
Mandrill welfare in zoos depends critically on group size and composition. Insufficient group size prevents the formation of normal social structures, leaving individuals without appropriate social partners and depriving them of the social learning and communication behaviors that characterize wild mandrill society. Dominant males in undersized groups may show increased aggression as normal hierarchical outlets are compressed. Foraging enrichment must engage their highly motivated food-searching behavior — scatter feeding, puzzle feeders, and buried food items distributed across large enclosures provide welfare benefit. Color intensity monitoring in males provides a non-invasive welfare indicator reflecting hormonal state.