Mandrills are the world's largest monkeys and among the most visually striking primates. Their complex social hierarchies and need for large social groups make them one of the most demanding primates to manage in zoos.
Mandrill welfare in captivity is critically dependent on social group size and composition. Wild mandrills live in enormous troops — the solitary or pair housing common in smaller zoos dramatically restricts social complexity and causes chronic stress. Dominant males in captive groups must have sufficient space and social partners to express natural display and competition behaviors without constant damaging conflict. Females require complex social networks of female kin for normal behavioral development and maternal care. Mixed-age groups with juveniles are essential for normal social learning. Large naturalistic foraging areas that require mandrills to search for food spread out over space and time, preventing boredom and inter-individual tension. Mandrills are excellent at learning from demonstration and training sessions — this can be used to facilitate complex social introductions.