Hyderabad scientists develop bio-score to assess zoo animal well-being
Scientists at Hyderabad-based LaCONES-CCMB have developed a bio-score system that uses hormone analysis to assess the true well-being of captive zoo animals. The technology can detect hidden stress, predict behavioural issues and improve animal welfare through scientific monitoring
Hyderabad: For a normal visitor to a zoo, whether in Hyderabad or elsewhere in the country, a captive tiger may appear calm and healthy. It might pace occasionally, eat hungrily and even roar at visitors, which are expected behaviours in a zoo setting. Interestingly, these same characteristics often form the basis of the official ‘Care in Captivity’ scorecard used by zoo authorities to determine if an animal is thriving.
A high-tech genetic laboratory in Hyderabad, however, has proved that visual observations of an animal in a zoo are no longer enough to gauge its actual well-being. In fact, geneticists from the city-based laboratory have developed a ‘bio-score’ based on forensic-level hormone analysis that enables them to accurately determine an animal’s true well-being with a high level of precision.
The geneticists at LaCONES-CCMB in Hyderabad have developed what can be termed a ‘genetic audit’ of captive zoo animals, which can accurately indicate their true well-being. The forensic bioscoring of animals is far more holistic, as the test leaves no room for human bias or for missing the early stages of physiological distress in an animal.
The traditional zoo audit is largely qualitative and relies on ‘visual indicators’ such as whether the animal is pacing or appears thin. Termed ‘Precision Captive Management’, the LaCONES-CCMB approach is essentially applying wildlife forensics to understand and assess the ‘internal state’ of captive animals.
The core aspect of the bio-score is Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite (FGM) analysis, which is a stress-auditing tool that gives a long-term, objective view of an animal’s life and provides a far more accurate picture of its condition, rather than just its behaviour on the day an animal inspector visits.
The LaCONES protocol for ‘bio-scoring’ replaces invasive blood draws, which can themselves induce stress, with non-invasive Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolite (FGM) analysis. By measuring these hormonal footprints, researchers can track an animal’s stress levels over days or weeks, rather than through a single ‘snapshot’ in time.
The FGM analysis allows scientists to detect hidden chronic distress in animals that may appear calm to visitors. Beyond monitoring current health, the data provides predictive power and can pinpoint whether an animal’s stress levels are high enough to inhibit reproductive success or trigger a future behavioural breakdown, enabling zoo authorities to act proactively.
As of 2026, the ‘forensic-level’ health scoring developed by LaCONES remains a voluntary scientific tool rather than a mandatory standard. While the technology exists and has the potential to transform Indian zoos, senior researchers have said that the ‘bio-score’ must be integrated into the Central Zoo Authority’s official rulebook, which will ensure that the true state of captive animals is assessed on the basis of scientific evidence.
