The use of technology as environmental enrichment in zoos: A scoping review

Technological enrichment, such as motion sensors, touchscreens, and response-independent feeders, offer innovative ways to enhance animal welfare in captivity by promoting species-appropriate behaviours and cognitive stimulation. A scoping review of 22 publications comprising 25 studies identified various technologies, with computers being the most common, and sensory enrichment the most frequent type implemented. Positive or neutral welfare outcomes were common, though some negative effects were also reported. Primates and carnivores were the most frequently studied groups. Despite increasing research since 2012, gaps remain, including limited peer-reviewed studies and a need for standardised methodologies to better evaluate the impact of technological enrichment.