Giraffes are challenging zoo animals to keep at high welfare standards. Their unique physiology, dietary needs, and social complexity require specialized care.
Zoo giraffes face welfare challenges from inadequate browse access, hard substrates causing foot problems, and insufficient social group complexity. Giraffes evolved to walk many kilometers daily for food — captivity dramatically restricts this natural behavior. Inadequate substrate causes chronic leg and foot problems. Good welfare requires deep, soft flooring in all indoor areas, access to natural browse in large quantities, and appropriate mixed-sex social groups that allow animals to form preferred associations.