Dr Mark Penning, a University of Pretoria (UP) veterinary science graduate and now Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team, has called for a greater focus on holistic well-being for animals in managed care, during a lecture delivered at the annual Faculty day of the Faculty of Veterinary Science.

“I am proud to see the zoo community shifting from animal welfare to an animal well-being approach,” said Dr Penning, who is based at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products, Florida, USA. “The difference is not just studying animals and learning about their biology, but looking at animals’ mental health. We hear a lot about well-being in humans. This should be our approach for animals as well. Animals cope with a lot too and humans should do better than only giving them a bowl of food.”

Protecting wildlife habitat, and making sure that animals in managed care can thrive rather than just survive, are his primary goals, he said, adding that animals need safe spaces, particularly during pregnancy.

“For example, with a pregnant elephant who is about to give birth, if it is with the whole herd and people watching, she won’t be comfortable. If she is stressed, you don’t know how the birth is going to go, and you can’t be sure how she’s going to behave with an offspring, especially if she’s a first-time mom,” he explained. “By paying attention to her mental needs as well as the physical side, you are setting her up for success.”

Successful breeding is often used as a marker of animal well-being, but it must be done carefully, he said. “One should know which male to breed with which female. And, when offspring arrive, know where they should go..”

Animal welfare challenges often originate with humans and not animals themselves, and zoos and aquariums have a responsibility to educate as well as entertain their visitors.

UP training ‘a foundation for greatness’

Dr Penning graduated from UP with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree in 1994 and went into private practice. “I’m grateful for the hands-on experience I’ve received from UP. I learnt that instead of influencing the well-being of one animal at a time, I could try and influence thousands and hundreds of thousands.”

He says his qualification is highly respected around the world.

“I wouldn’t have had any of the incredible opportunities that I’ve been able to leverage without this qualification. Yes, I did some work to apply myself, but ultimately my foundation is UP’s Faculty of Veterinary Science. It’s a solid foundation. It sets you up for greatness.”

His passion for inspiring people to care about wildlife led to him developing free-flight bird shows and breeding programmes for endangered species to be released back into the wild. He helped to develop the Montecasino Bird Gardens in Fourways, Johannesburg, and led the development of one of the largest public aquariums in the world, KwaZulu-Natal’s uShaka Sea World and Sea World Education Centre, before joining The Walt Disney Company in 2012.