Influence of Social Behaviours and Population on Conservation Breeding Programmes and Zoo Animal Welfare

Dear Colleagues,

Conservation breeding in zoos requires demographically balanced captive populations with high genetic diversity and diverse and appropriate social and reproductive behaviour.

Historically, a limited number of individuals, lack of available space, and poor understanding of natural behaviour has resulted in some species being managed in groups that do not reflect those found in the wild. For example, group-living primates housed in pairs and elephant herds consisting of unrelated adult females. Individuals transferred to other zoos at ages not reflective of natural dispersal in a desire to establish additional breeding pairs. Due to the desire to limit numbers of surplus stock, some populations have been contracepted and have become completely non-breeding. In species which live in single-male multi-female groups, bachelor groups have been attempted, with success often depending on the relationships between males. Due to the constraints of zoo enclosures, it is difficult to facilitate fission/fusion population dynamics where social structures change regularly in response to drivers such as food availability and reproductive state. Zoo environments limit the ability of animals to chose their mates.

Inappropriate social groups can result in a lack of juvenile social and all care opportunities, lack of maternal experience and poor parenting skills, poor reproductive success, aggression, and compromised welfare. Inappropriate group sizes in communally rearing species may lead to a lack of rearing helpers and, therefore, high offspring mortality.

Conversely, there are many species that have been managed in zoos in groups that, in the wild, would be solitary, only associating with other animals for days during reproductive activity, such as orangutans and large felids. This can equally have negative impacts on welfare, stress, reproductive, and maternal behaviour.  

It has been recognised that, in order to optimally manage and breed animals for conservation purposes, we need to understand their physiological, behavioural, and physical needs, as well as their social structures, social learning, and social behaviour. Appropriate social management can enhance reproductive success, behavioural range, and welfare.

This Special Issue focuses on these challenges, assessing the impacts of social management on conservation breeding, proposing opportunities to facilitate all care, fission/fusion population dynamics, and mate choice, analysing the effects that management changes demonstrate on progression and advancement.

Dr. Matthew Hartley
Guest Editor

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• conservation breeding
• social behaviour
• zoo animal welfare
• bachelor groups
• fission fusion