Epidemiological Investigations of North American Zoo Elephant Welfare

Our society has become increasingly interested in understanding how living in zoos affects animal well-being. This is particularly true for long-lived, socially-complex species such as elephants. This collection investigates a series of questions about the welfare of North American zoo elephants using epidemiological methods. The studies provide objective information about how the elephants are faring, identify the most salient connections between their daily lives and a range of behavioral and physical welfare outcomes, and support advances in evidence-based zoological management.

Image Credit: Brian J Greco, AWARE Institute