Colobus monkeys have complex social requirements in captivity, with group composition and enclosure design critically affecting welfare outcomes in zoo settings.
Colobus monkey welfare in captivity requires attention to both their complex social needs and their highly specialized dietary requirements. Enclosures that lack vertical complexity and arboreal access prevent expression of fundamental locomotor and foraging behaviors. The multi-chambered fermentive digestive system that makes colobus remarkable also makes them sensitive to dietary changes and inappropriate foods: gastrointestinal problems are a significant welfare concern in captive populations. Social management must balance maintaining stable group structure that allows natural hierarchies to function with preventing chronic stress to subordinate individuals in insufficient space. The specialist nature of colobus care means that only institutions with demonstrated expertise should house them.