Rethinking Care for Animals With Disabilities

This article was written by Shannon O’Brien, Ph.D., an animal welfare scientist with Lincoln Park Zoo’s Animal Welfare Science Program.

At Lincoln Park Zoo, there are a handful of animals with disabilities, such as a meerkat named Alanis who has three limbs, a cinerous vulture named Virginia who wears an orthotic for wing support, and a wood turtle named Butternut who navigates with one eye. These animals experience thriving lives interacting with other members of their species and exploring their environments.

Alanis the meerkat can often be spotted huddling with her mob, Virginia the vulture spends hours during the breeding season gathering nesting materials and ensuring each stick finds its perfect place, and Butternut spends much of his time basking just like the other turtles he resides with.

Why Study Animals With Disabilities?

After I noted the number of animals at Lincoln Park Zoo that have physical disabilities, I became curious as to how common these animals are across the broader Association of Zoos and Aquariums community, and whether they were given specialized care. Animals with disabilities are rarely researched in animal behavior and animal welfare sciences, which impacts our ability to provide evidence-based care. Understanding how animals with disabilities behave and navigate their environments can help animal care teams make informed decisions that enhance animal wellbeing.

I soon discovered that there were no records of the prevalence of animals with disabilities in AZA institutions. So, I decided to collect the data myself. To gather this information, I conducted a survey of institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The survey aimed to estimate the prevalence of animals with disabilities and the types of high-quality care zoo and aquarium staff provide to support the needs of animals with disabilities.

How Zoos Are Accommodating Animals With Disabilities

Staff from 45 accredited zoos and aquariums participated in the survey and all but one institution reported having animals with disabilities in their care. There were reports of animals with disabilities from all vertebrate groups—mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish—as well as invertebrates such as insects and arachnids, indicating that animals with disabilities are common in the broader zoo and aquarium community.

At any time in an animal’s life, an individual may develop changes to their vision, mobility, or other adaptations that require specialized care. In many cases, disabilities in animals are associated with advanced age, as animals in zoos and aquariums often live much longer lives than they would in the wild. In other cases, a disability may emerge due to an injury or medical history. Some animals may even come to a zoo or aquarium because of a disability. For example, an animal found with an injury that would make it difficult for them to thrive in the wild may be transferred to a zoo or aquarium where they can continually benefit from the expert care provided by veterinarians, nutritionists, and other animal care professionals. This is the case with Ethan, the bald eagle residing at Lincoln Park Zoo under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stewardship after he sustained an injury which impacted his ability to fly.

To support animals with disabilities, care teams provide an array of habitat, enrichment, and husbandry modifications to promote positive welfare. For example, the addition of gradual ramps, steps, or ladder perching allow animals with limited mobility greater access to elevated areas within their habitat. Other modifications used by those surveyed included textured mats to provide grip, safety nets to catch an animal if they fall, and modified food and resting areas to provide easier access for animals with limited mobility. One institution provided rocks to create different textures for an animal with low vision. Similarly, the use of auditory cues can help alert animals with low-vision or blindness when food and enrichment are added to their spaces. All these types of modifications ensure that animals with disabilities can safely access all areas of their habitats, engage with enrichment, and continue experiencing a good quality of life.

There’s More to Learn

However, the survey also revealed that within the broader zoo and aquarium community, birds, mammals, and reptiles were the most likely to receive specialized care for their disabilities, whereas other animals such as fish, amphibians, and invertebrates were less likely to receive specialized care. This disparity may reflect the publishing trends in animal behavior sciences, which tend to focus more on mammals and birds, with growing emphasis on reptiles.

Image courtesy of Shannon O’Brien

Accredited zoos and aquariums aspire to provide all animals with evidence-based care. As such, best practices are continually evolving as more evidence becomes available. However, for many species, research on behavior and natural history is limited. Research on animals with disabilities is even less common. Lincoln Park Zoo’s Animal Welfare Science Program seeks to close this gap, with a continued research focus on understudied species, so that we can collectively provide all animals regardless of species or (dis)ability with the highest quality of care.

I am now working on a study that focuses on the behavior and space use of animals with disabilities here at Lincoln Park Zoo. The animal care team is in the process of getting additional modifications for zoo animals with disabilities, then we will assess how the animals use the modifications and if their behavior indicates they are experiencing positive welfare. With more research, we can proactively develop accessible habitats so all animals at AZA zoos can fully utilize their spaces and engage in species-appropriate behavior.

Beyond enhancing care, we can also promote empathy and positive perceptions for animals with disabilities with mindful additions to signage that highlight the animals’ story, personality, and unique adaptations. I’m hopeful our research can inspire a shift in the ways zoos and aquariums think about and care for animals with disabilities as we move into the future.