Giraffes are obligate browsers with highly specialized feeding behavior. Providing adequate browse variety, quantity, and accessibility is central to giraffe welfare in zoological settings.
Giraffe browse provision is one of the most important yet logistically challenging aspects of zoo giraffe welfare. Browse requires year-round sourcing, preparation, and elevated presentation that is labor-intensive and expensive. Zoos that invest in comprehensive browse programs including multiple species, seasonal variation, and height-appropriate presentation see significant reductions in stereotypic behavior and improvements in behavioral diversity. The welfare return on browse investment is high as it simultaneously addresses oral health, foraging behavior motivation, and psychological enrichment through a single species-appropriate resource.