Wildlife Welfare in Zoos

Public perception towards zoos has changed noticeably around the world in recent decades. Therefore it is essential to understand zoo animal welfare in Southeast Asia. In this monograph, the author, an international scientific expert on zoo animal welfare, examines the underlying causes of animal welfare problems in zoos and recreational parks in several countries in the Southeast Asian region and suggests strategies to improve standards. The author narrates accounts of various common problems zoos and recreational parks often face in terms of ethics and welfare. He also introduces basic welfare problems and the concept of zoo assessments and how they ultimately upgrade welfare standards for many of the captive animals that usually rely on their zoos for survival. Scientific data on zoo animal welfare in Southeast Asia are limited to journal articles, news items and reports by non-profit agencies. Therefore this monograph should serve as an introductory and reference text on zoo animal welfare and ethics related courses in colleges, universities and other institutes of higher learning globally