Week 4: Nutrition at the Zoo

Zoos play a large role in the conservation of species all around the world, they are places of education and show the diversity of life on earth. One of the fundamental and arguably the most important parts of animal care is nutrition.

Just like humans, animals require a balanced diet to thrive. In the wild, they have evolved to obtain the nutrients they need from their natural environment. However, in captivity, it falls upon zookeepers and nutritionists to replicate this diet as closely as possible. This means carefully formulating feeding plans that mimic the animals’ natural diets while also considering factors such as age, reproductive status, health conditions, and individual preferences.

To know if a diet is right for animals, nutritionists and keepers will do what is called a Body Condition Score which is a method used to evaluate the body fat mass in animals. The scale ranges from one to nine. In the range of one to three, the animal is considered emaciated. The normal and preferred range is between four to six, and anything higher would be considered obese. The number is given based on looking at the major joints such as the shoulders and hips, along with their ribs and backbone.

While working with the clinical nutritionist I was able to see a necropsy on a lesser kudu, an animal native to Africa who had recently passed away. It was in this setting based on the animals’ organs, joints, and ribs, that the nutritionist was able to see that the Body Composition Score of four that she had given it, was indeed accurate.

Beyond meeting basic nutritional requirements, zoos also use food as a form of enrichment. Enrichment activities stimulate animals’ natural behaviors, keeping them mentally and physically engaged. Food-based enrichments can take many forms. While at the zoo we were able to watch the elephants participate in their enrichment feeding. They were given a box full of pellets with a small hole in the top. It was fascinating to watch each of the elephants approach the same enrichment tool differently to get the food out.

Nutrition plays a central role in promoting the health, welfare, and behavioral enrichment of captive animals. As our understanding of animal nutrition evolves, so too will how zoos nourish the animals in their care.