Brookfield Zoo

The Brookfield Zoo will examine the relationship between behavioral diversity and other indicators of animal welfare such as markers of adrenal activity and stereotypic behavior. The project team will conduct research with a subset of Brookfield Zoo mammals representing many taxonomic groups and collect behavioral data and samples over a three-month period from 30 individual animals representing 10 mammal species. If behavioral diversity could be validated as an indicator of positive welfare, animal care staff will have a new tool to use for welfare monitoring. With the link between animal welfare and reproductive success, ensuring high levels of welfare will help ensure sustainability of the collection and allow the zoo to better serve its animals and the public.