You probably can’t tell, but zoo animals are graying just like the rest of us. Bears, elephants, giraffes, emus, even snakes are living longer in captivity than they would in the wild. It shouldn’t surprise anyone, since there are no predators to stalk animals at the zoo, plus they’re eating well and getting quality care from keepers, including medical attention.

Actually, it’s the veterinarians who may be most responsible for the longer lifespans, since the aging animals are developing ailments just like humans, often requiring the same procedures, treatment and medicine we get.

Arthritis, for example, is very common among older large mammals. So is heart and liver disease, glaucoma, and weight gain. The big birds and beasts are getting regular check-ups and X-rays and prescriptions to anti-inflammatorys and other meds designed to improve their quality of life and maintain the integrity of the family units within the habitats.

We visited the Philadelphia Zoo, which happens to be the nation’s 1st zoo, established in 1859. It boasts to hosting America’s 2nd oldest Spectacled Langur (a monkey) and the 5th oldest female Giraffe. Our tour also included visits with an arthritic 30-year-old bear and a deeply wrinkled 52-year-old elephant.

The bigger animals are living at least five years longer on average in captivity than they would on the outside, which raised some questions. Was this a selfish act on the zoo’s part, considering the animal’s health was obviously deteriorating? And was it worth it for the animals themselves or were they (forgive me for this) better off dead?

We spoke with several keepers and the zoo’s top vet, who all told us essentially the same thing: they would never prolong an animals life if it was suffering. The animals benefitted and so did visitors. The staff met frequently to discuss individual cases and when and where euthanasia would be appropriate. And they said this: If you had a relative who was sick you’d want to give him or her the best possible care, right?

Then I asked the next obvious question: if these animals were in the wild, wouldn’t some of them be dead already? Mandy Fischer, who’s been a primate specialist for years, agreed, then turned it around.

“If people lived in the wild, they wouldn’t survive as long either.”

The experts tell me for the most part the older animals aren’t noticeably less active because it’s instinctively in their best interests not to show pain to others since it would make them more vulnerable to predators. Most visitors apparently can’t tell the difference between the seniors and juniors in the mix (although it was obvious to me Boo Boo the Bear was moving quite slowly and with some difficulty). In fact, some of them are downright frisky, just like some of us are in our golden years.

The keepers have made some adjustments for some of the older residents, like poles and steps to make climbing easier. Wendy Lenhart, who manages an elderly Emu, told me “If we’re gonna use technology for people we might as well transfer it onto our animals… give them the best care that we can give… If there’s something that’s going to help them and make their life more comfortable than we’re gonna look into it.”
In case you’re wondering, most of the cost of the animal’s food and medicine comes straight out of the price of admission, so the people paying for it are the people who care the most.