Many people associate animal sanctuaries with large enclosures and strict enrichment programmes. While these factors are critical to animal wellbeing, a new area in captive animal care in South Africa is emerging: zoopharmacognosy. This intriguing topic investigates animals’ self-medication instincts, as well as the potential of plant compounds and minerals to improve their physical and mental health.
Self-selective healing behaviours in animals are not random. Zoopharmacognosy proposes that animals have an innate grasp of the therapeutic properties of specific plants and minerals found in their natural habitats. However, animals living in captivity often do not have access to these natural resources.
According to a study published in the South African Journal of Wildlife Research (2024), lions in the Kruger National Park foraged significantly more for certain plants known to have anti-inflammatory qualities during times of high stress. Despite being carnivores, lions will instinctively seek out plants that have known medicinal properties. You may have noticed your (obligate carnivore) domestic cat munching grass – this is not nutritive, but medicinal and not a behaviour that requires thought, it is hard-wired.
Captive environments: A different landscape
While captive facilities provide the necessary care, they often lack the natural diversity of flora and minerals that animals find in the wild. According to a 2023 study from the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, more than 30% of our country’s caged animals indicate stress-related health disorders. This limited access to natural resources may impede their ability to self-medicate and manage their own well-being.
This is where the Captive Animal Enrichment Project (CAEP) comes in. We advocate a unique approach to animal care using zoopharmacognosy. Our aim is to supply high-quality plant materials and minerals to animals living in captivity. This empowers them to choose between various options based on their specific requirements.
This approach goes beyond conventional enrichment; it enables animals to take control of their own well-being. Consider a range of plant materials and minerals offered exclusively for each animal’s needs, based upon their natural habitat in the wild. We provide a variety of options that their bodies are naturally drawn to, and let their innate wisdom lead the process of selection. This enables the animals to treat specific disorders, strengthen their immune systems, or simply improve their overall health and wellbeing.
The power of choice is beneficial for animal welfare
The principle of facilitating self-selection is crucial. According to studies, animals are exceptionally adept at finding and consuming or administering medicinal compounds present in plants that help them overcome various imbalances. For example, primates with digestive problems have been observed picking vegetables renowned for their probiotic benefits.
By introducing zoopharmacognosy into captive animal care, the CAEP hopes to achieve a more natural and empowering way to support animals in captive environments. Research reveals that some plants may have anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) properties that help animals cope with the hardships of captivity. This not only improves their mental health but helps to alleviate the boredom associated with living in captivity, and the negative side effects of long term stress.
Certain plant compounds also have analgesic effects that may alleviate discomfort associated with pain. Many animals living in sanctuaries are overcoming physical trauma, the difficulty comes in because all animals do not want to appear vulnerable, and so will not risk obviously representing the pain they may be experiencing, so we offer them specific plant materials and derivatives which can help them self-manage their pain.
Unlike allopathic medication, our approach is to allow animals to choose which remedies they need, how much of these they require as well as how they prefer to have them administered.
Self-selection is the opposite of prescription
Zoopharmacognosy, however, is not a substitute for traditional veterinary care, and ideally both should be used to ensure that animals are supported to achieve optimum health in their captive environments. It is fascinating to see animals actively participate in their own healing path, and humbling to observe an intelligence and understanding that us humans can’t often claim.
Supporting CAEP helps to ensure that caged animals not only survive but thrive in their environments. We need your support; let us work together to create a peaceful cohabitation with animals. Please contact us today if you’d like to donate or get involved.
