Environmental enrichment for zoo and aquarium animals has become a science. Evidence-based enrichment programs improve welfare outcomes measurably compared to non-enriched environments.
Zoo enrichment has evolved from ad hoc provision to evidence-based programming. Good enrichment programs are guided by species behavioral ecology, individually tailored, rotated for novelty, and evaluated by measuring behavioral outcomes. Enrichment that is not chosen or used by animals provides no welfare benefit regardless of the effort involved. The science of enrichment is increasingly sophisticated and its application is a professional standard in accredited zoos.