Mandrills are the world's largest monkeys and among the most socially complex primates. Providing for their behavioral needs in captivity requires large, diverse social groups and complex environments.
Mandrills present some of the most demanding welfare challenges in zoo management due to their extraordinary social complexity. In the wild, females form the core of stable social networks, while males compete intensely for reproductive access. Captive groups that are too small, poorly sex-balanced, or housed in environments lacking foraging complexity often show elevated aggression, stress, and suppressed reproduction. Best practice includes housing mandrills in large mixed-sex groups with foraging enrichment that requires time and problem-solving, visual barriers that allow social buffering, and opportunities for natural social bonding behaviors. Well-managed mandrill colonies can serve as important assurance populations for vulnerable wild populations.