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Paul Koene presents Workshop paper 4
In workshop 2: Assessment of zoo animal welfare
Friday, 12 September 2008 from 14h00-15h45 in the Het Pand chaired by Paul Koene
179
Workshop paper 4
ASSESSMENT OF ZOO ANIMAL WELFARE: SETTING THE SCENE
P. Koene
Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
Welfare of zoo animals may vary largely dependent on species, enclosure size and number of
conspecifics present. Inspection of animal welfare in zoos may therefore be complicated and is not
done systematically in most countries. Large differences exist in regulations for zoo animal welfare,
from no standards to generally defined minimum standards. Furthermore, the environment-based
assessment of welfare, the animal-based assessment and zoo-based approach each imply advantages
and disadvantages.
And, nowadays not only arguments concerning suffering in animals but also concerning pleasure in
animals are important in overall welfare assessment. Inspection using minimum standards or
inspection based on behavioral needs, natural behavior and behavioral opportunities may differ
largely in outcome, especially for the animal.
In this workshop a modern zoo point of view making explicit the intention to measure zoo animal
welfare in a transparent way discusses with the critical approach towards keeping animals and
actual realized animal welfare in zoos. The goal of the discussion is to find ways towards objective
assessment of animal welfare in zoo animals focused on the range between suffering and pleasure.
An outcome is sought that guarantees the welfare of zoo animals, but also satisfies zoo managers,
the public and other critical parties. This workshop stimulates to find a new approach and new
methods to assess zoo animal welfare for the coming decades.
Contact information: Paul Koene or email paul.koene@wur.nl
Complete address: Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Marijkeweg 40, 6709
PG Wageningen, the Netherlands
Species: Zoo animal