Sharing Care

Everyone who comes to the zoo likes to watch animals. It’s fun to get a glimpse of the wild, whether you’re seeing African lions survey their domain or observing the complex social dynamics of Hank’s chimpanzee group.

Our animal care experts have more than fun in mind when they’re watching wildlife, though. Zoo veterinarians are obviously on the front lines of care, conducting regular check-ups to get in-depth appraisals of animal health. But regular monitoring—the evidence of the eyeballs—is still one of our best ways to keep tabs on animal welfare.

Daily monitoring can be tough to organize and share, though, which is why our experts recently developed the ZooMonitor app. Funded by an initial grant from the Rice Foundation, this customizable iPad app offers an easy way to record behavioral, space-use and body-condition data for animals ranging from the Sichuan takin herd to black rhino Kapuki and her baby, King.

Now, thanks to a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services, we’ll be able to further develop ZooMonitor to share with institutions around the world. This IMLS support will let us upgrade the app, test it with partnering zoos and aquariums and then make it free for anyone to use.

One of the most exciting things about ZooMonitor is how adaptable it is. Every species can have data fields customized to its specific behaviors, from nesting to swinging in the trees. Every exhibit can be reproduced at a digital scale. This scientific approach ensures day-to-day consistency and helps build a comprehensive baseline on how each individual spends their time.

A snapshot from the ZooMonitor iPad app hints at the type of insights and knowledge now available to zoo researchers.

Is African lion Sahar napping more than usual, for example? Does a boomer ball placed in one spot get a bigger reaction from Kapuki and King than enrichment placed in another? Hard data from the app makes it possible to build on positive developments—and if issues do arise, the info that’s gathered may bring them to the eyes of our experts sooner.

ZooMonitor has seen a great rollout under the watch of Welfare Monitoring Postdoctoral Fellow Matthew Heintz, Ph.D. Animal care experts, zoo volunteers and students have all been trained to collect data with the app. Together, they’ve averaged more than 150 hours per month of animal observations. Now, thanks to IMLS, other zoos will be able to do the same—and improve the lives of the animals they care for.

Kevin Bell