Brookfield Zoo

The Brookfield Zoo will assess and validate an animal welfare monitoring tool that will enhance the quality of life of individual animals and be of use to the international zoological community. The project involves a user-friendly web application that allows zookeepers to complete surveys for individual animals and generate reports that flag potential shifts in animal welfare status. The zoo will partner with 15 American Zoo and Aquarium accredited facilities to monitor 60 chimpanzees, collecting behavioral and physiological data, processing and assaying physiological samples, carrying out data analysis and disseminating results. The project will benefit all animal care facilities in search of a user-friendly welfare monitoring tool. The system can be adapted for a variety of mammal, bird, and reptile species. The project will give animal care facilities the opportunity to intervene rapidly when welfare issues arise, resulting in improved health, longevity, and quality of life for all captive animals.