Discipline: Zoology

Animal welfare risks from commercial practices involving cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans

Browning H, Burn C, Schnell AK, Crump A, Birch J.

Published in 2025

Article updating a 2021 study. It proposes practical improvements that can be made to the welfare of cephalopods and crustaceans, and identifies research priorities as a guide for good practice.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Arthropods, Molluscs

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A comparison of attitudes towards animal welfare between British and Japanese zoo visitors: Where and when do cultural differences diverge?

Yumi Yamanashi , Yuko IkkataiMoe Honjo, Nahoko Tokuyama, Rie Akami, Duncan Andrew Wilson, Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith

Published in 2025

Scientific study of British and Japanese visitors' attitudes towards animal welfare in zoos, feeding with live prey and trust in managers: both groups are generally concerned about welfare, but the Japanese base their judgments more on basic needs, while the British emphasize the environmental stimulation provided and the animals' emotions and cognitive abilities.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Wildlife

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A Guide on Fish Welfare in Spanish Aquaculture - Volume 4: Welfare of rainbow trout

APROMAR

Published in 2025

Guide published by the Spanish aquaculture industry, describing the best practices to ensure rainbow trout welfare. It proposes specific indicators appropriate to each farming phase, while emphasizing the importance of training, sustainability and a stronger legal framework.

Document Types: Guides to Good Practice

Animal categories: Fish

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Social learning and cultural enrichment for fish welfare

Chiaowen Chiang and Becca Franks

Published in 2024

Opinion piece advocating greater consideration of the socio-cultural complexity of fish to improve their welfare in zoos and aquariums.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Fish

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Farmed yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor; Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) welfare: species-specific recommendations for a global industry

Barrett, M., Godfrey, R.K., Schnell, A., & Fischer, B.

Published in 2024

Review examining the factors influencing the welfare of yellow mealworms in farming, such as abiotic conditions, nutrition, intra/interspecific interactions and slaughter methods. Practical recommendations and research directions are suggested that would improve and anticipate welfare issues in this rapidly expanding sector.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:invertebrates, Insects

Keywords:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Euthanasia, Welfare indicator, Living environment, Stress

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Key Concepts for Enhancing Zoo Animal Welfare: Coping, Comfort, Choice, Control, Challenge, and Compassion

Rose, P. E., & Lewton, J.

Published in 2024

Synthetic overview exploring the application of welfare theory to zoo animals using key familiar indicators that promote adaptation, autonomy and positive cognitive challenges. A trained human husbandry approach based on compassion is essential to making welfare a core goal in zoos.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories:Wildlife

Key words:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Learning, Enrichment, Housing, Human-animal relationship

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Putative Nociceptive Responses in a Decapod Crustacean: The Shore Crab (Carcinus maenas)

Kasiouras, E.; Hubbard, P.C.; Gräns, A.; Sneddon, L.U.

Published in 2024

Study of nociceptors in Shore Crabs using electrophysiological recordings. The results provide evidence of distinct responses to mechanical and chemical stimuli, confirming the presence of nociceptors in the areas tested.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Arthropods

Key words:Pain, Brain integration

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Enhancing Welfare for Aquarium Fishes with an Ecologically Relevant Environment

Paul Rose

Published in 2024

Article highlighting the importance of  achieving a better understanding of the biology and behavior of domestic fish in order to provide them with appropriate care when raised in aquariums.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Fish

Key words:Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Socialization

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Farmed cricket (Acheta domesticus, Gryllus assimilis, and Gryllodes sigillatus; Orthoptera) welfare considerations: recommendations for improving global practice

Rowe, E., Robles López, K.Y., Robinson, K.M., Baudier, K.M., & Barrett, M.

Published in 2024

Article on a study evaluating various factors affecting the welfare of the three main species of cricket bred for animal and human consumption. The article makes recommendations for improving the conditions under which they are farmed 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories:Arthropods

Keywords:Animal adaptation to environment, Euthanasia, Euthanasia, Abuse, Living environment, Pain, Education, Stress, Transportation

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How does perception of zoo animal welfare influence public attitudes, experiences, and behavioural intentions? A mixed-methods systematic review

Nicki Phillips, Laëtitia Maréchal, Beth Ventura, Jonathan Cooper

Published in 2024

Systematic study identifying three types of factors that influence negative public perceptions of zoos whose objectives are conservation and education: human (interactions and ethics), animal (behavior and health), and environmental (facility conditions). These negative perceptions reduce the public's commitment to zoos and conservation, necessitating more structured research to improve the validity of the studies.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: All animals

Key words:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Education, Enrichment, Housing, Living environment, Human-animal relationship

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