Mandrills are the largest living monkeys, forming complex multi-male groups in the wild. Their welfare in captivity depends on sophisticated social management and enrichment that reflects their behavioral ecology.
Mandrill welfare in captivity requires social management that reflects the complexity of their natural horde structure. These highly social animals form extensive networks of affiliative relationships; pair housing or small group housing represents a profound reduction of their natural social environment. While large multi-male groups create management challenges, the welfare cost of inadequate social housing is high: increased stereotypy, reduced behavioral diversity, and suppressed reproductive behavior in subordinate individuals. Foraging enrichment must reflect their terrestrial ecology — burying food in deep substrate and creating opportunities for digging and manipulation engages the behavioral systems that wild mandrills use extensively. Sexual selection dynamics, which drive the striking male facial coloration, require appropriate group structure including multiple females to be expressed normally.