It is obvious that without appropriate nutrition, animals will not maintain a high standard of health, reproduction and well-being. A great deal of research has been undertaken to understand the nutritional requirements of wildlife species, and the health of these species in zoos indicates these diets are adequate.

Nutritional research at Taronga Zoo is focused on the physiology of animal species - how they digest food sources, why specific food species are preferred and how that may change with a changing environment. The Zoo’s experts are also interested in the potential for disease to increase (or otherwise change) the nutritional requirements of the animals and how that changes the carrying capacity of its habitat.

A novel application of nutritional physiology is the opportunity to develop safe, food based deterrents for wildlife control in areas that border human communities and agricultural lands.

Taronga has no dedicated nutritional physiology staff but is fortunate to have active collaborations with independent, academic and government researchers.