Melbourne Zoo has undergone significant changes in its approach to animal care, moving away from outdated practices that once included allowing animals like orangutans to smoke cigarettes. This shift reflects a broader trend towards improving the welfare of zoo animals by providing environments that better mimic their natural habitats. For instance, the zoo has implemented practices such as intermittent fasting for lions to reflect their feeding behaviors in the wild, emphasizing the need for facilities to create more enriching experiences for the animals.

Animal care specialists at the zoo are focusing on environmental enrichment, ensuring that enclosures offer the necessary stimuli for social interaction, intellectual engagement, and natural behavior expression. By introducing elements such as scented leaves and diverse structures within the enclosures, the zoo aims to cater to the psychological and physical needs of the animals, which is essential for their well-being. This reform highlights a commitment to ethical standards in animal care, aligning with contemporary views on conservation and welfare.

The implications of such changes extend beyond the confines of the zoo, as they challenge and influence how animal care is perceived and conducted globally. As Melbourne Zoo adopts these progressive practices, it sets a potential model for other establishments, advocating for similar reforms in animal welfare and interpreting the role of zoos in a more positive light. By prioritizing animal health and enrichment, there is the hope that public perception will shift, leading to greater support for conservation initiatives on behalf of captive wildlife.