Kangaroos and wallabies are increasingly kept in zoo walk-through exhibits that allow public contact. Understanding their welfare needs guides appropriate management of these charismatic Australian marsupials.
Kangaroo and wallaby welfare in zoo settings presents specific challenges related to their athletic, wide-ranging ecology and their susceptibility to stress-related capture myopathy. Public contact in walk-through exhibits is a welfare consideration: while well-designed exhibits where animals can freely avoid public contact and have adequate space may be acceptable, exhibits where animals are trapped in crowded visitor spaces or subjected to repeated handling show clear welfare compromise. The stress response in macropods is particularly severe — even brief capture and restraint can trigger capture myopathy (muscle breakdown syndrome) causing fatal organ failure. Welfare-centered management of walk-through exhibits requires extensive space, multiple retreat areas, careful monitoring of animal condition, and visitor education that ensures appropriate interaction behavior.