Behavioral enrichment for zoo elephants is essential for addressing welfare of one of the most cognitively complex and physically demanding species held in captivity.
Elephant enrichment programs must address the full scope of welfare needs - physical, nutritional, social, and cognitive. The scale of unmet needs in many zoo elephant facilities reflects the difficulty of meeting requirements within typical infrastructure. Accreditation standards setting minimum enrichment provision requirements are moving industry standards forward, but the gap between minimum and optimal welfare remains significant for this cognitively demanding species.