The Assessment of Animal Personality and Its Uses for Improving Zoo Animal Welfare

Abstract

Abstract Animal welfare is central to the three aims of the modern zoo: conservation, research and education. Good welfare depends not only on the management of the captive population as a whole but also on the management and husbandry of individual animals. Zoo keepers are able to reliably assess animal personality traits, and these traits are linked to measures of welfare such as reproductive success, stereotypic behaviour and physiological stress. Assessing animal personality can help to address some of the challenges faced in zoo animal management. A validated personality questionnaire is a valuable tool for zoo professionals, as it can be used to predict reproductive success and the cohesion of social groups. Knowledge of animal personality can help keepers to devise management plans for individuals, and improve keeper safety as well as animal welfare. Aspects of individuals’ behaviour can affect the success of reintroduction programmes, so information about personality can also contribute to ex-situ conservation. Information © The Author 2023