Monitoring the behavioral and adrenal Aactivity of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) to assess welfare during seasonal housing changes
In inclement weather, northern zoos are required to provide animals from warmer climates with indoor exhibits. These indoor exhibits are typically smaller, lack natural substrate, and have lower levels of stimulation for the animals. The purpose of this study was to examine the welfare of four reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) exhibited at the Chicago Zoological Society – Brookfield Zoo – during the summer in an outdoor enclosure compared to the winter in an indoor enclosure. A combination of direct