New directions for zoo animal welfare science

Whitham and Wielebnowski argued that zoo welfare assessment should move beyond minimising negative states toward measuring and promoting positive welfare, and toward individual-level, continuous monitoring. They reviewed available behavioural and physiological indicators, advocated combining multiple measures, and emphasised practical tools that keepers can use routinely, such as behavioural monitoring and validated rating scales. The paper called for the field to develop indicators of positive affective states, not just stress, and to embed welfare assessment in everyday management. It became an influential roadmap for modern zoo welfare science. For felids it supports integrating cortisol, behaviour, personality and keeper assessments into ongoing, individualised welfare tracking rather than one-off studies.