Macropods in zoos require significant space for locomotion, careful social management, and specific veterinary expertise given their unique physiology and welfare needs.
Macropod welfare in zoos centers on movement space and stress management. Kangaroos and wallabies use hopping locomotion that requires adequate run-up space — enclosures too small for natural movement produce inactivity and obesity. Handling poses unique risks because of capture myopathy: acute stress during capture can cause muscle fiber breakdown that produces kidney failure days after the apparent resolution of the stressful event. This means that any capture operation for veterinary treatment must be performed with minimal stress using appropriate sedation, and post-handling monitoring must continue for several days. Social group management follows species-specific norms — some macropods are more solitary, others benefit from group housing. Walk-through macropod exhibits in zoos allow visitor proximity to freely moving animals, which can be enriching for the animals through novel stimuli while requiring careful management of visitor behavior to prevent harassment.