Nutrition – Great Ape Consultancy

Animal nutrition

Services >> Nutrition

Animal nutrition

There is constantly new research emerging regarding the best way to feed great apes. This is fantastic news and means we can change and develop our diets to maximise welfare. Inadequate diets for great apes can contribute to serious health issues such as diabetes, obesity, dental disease and has even been linked to heart disease.

It may also have behavioural implications such as heightened aggression and monopolising of resources. Other factors such as browse choice or substitutes, diet preperation and distribution can make a huge difference to the health and welfare of your great apes, but can also affect cost and keeper schedules.

Great Ape Consultancy can assess current diets and advise on changes that may benefit your animals. We can develop new diets or help you transsition to a healthier, fruit free diet.

Going fruit free

See how 42 great apes got on switching to a fruit free diet at Twycross Zoo.

Read the case study

Our Services

enclosure design

Advice on enclosure design and furnishing to best suit of any of the four great ape species.

Animal management

Advice on best management and husbandry practices for a range of species and different social groupings.

Staff training

Available for one on one, team or classroom style training workshops, on the job training of staff members.

Health and safety

Developing risk assessments, safe working protocols and SOPs, assessing safe working practices.

Introductions

Advice on introduction planning. Able to provide practical support when introducing individuals and staff training.

Nutrition

Nutritional advice for all four great apes, developing diet plans, transitioning to new diets, optimising diet presentation to improve health, welfare and behaviour.

Enrichment and training

Developing and assessing enrichment programmes. Advice on training a range of behaviours, developing in-house training skills and capacity.

Animal welfare

Advice on all aspects of great ape husbandry, developing routines and improving animal welfare. Independent welfare assessment of groups or animals.