Moving animals between zoos for conservation and population management purposes causes significant stress, and careful planning minimises welfare harm.
Zoo animal transportation causes unavoidable welfare costs — confinement, movement stress, separation from companions and unfamiliar surroundings all occur simultaneously. The welfare cost must be weighed against conservation benefits of population management. Pre-transport crate training, which habituates animals to the transport container before it is needed, dramatically reduces acute stress. Journey planning should minimise duration, avoid temperature extremes and include appropriate monitoring. Post-arrival management must account for the immunosuppressive effects of transport stress, which increases disease susceptibility for weeks after arrival.