Max Norman

Max is a former zookeeper and zoo animal nutritionist who has turned his passion to teaching. With experience and connections across multiple animal care contexts he is a believer in the power of collaboration and in our ability to come together and find solutions that better the wellbeing of animals.

He is an avid supporter of student research and in the power of incorporating research and teaching together to solve animal care problems. In particular, he believes that there is much to be done to progress animal welfare beyond the simple meeting of needs and towards positive and fulfilling lives – and that collaboration between zoos and students is the way to achieve these goals.

• Psychological wellbeing of animals
• Non-human animal personality
• Efficacy of animal care practice
• Zoo animal care and welfare
• Equality, diversity, and inclusion in animal care
• Decolonisation in zoos and conservation

• Ethics of Animal Use
• Management of Zoo Animal Collections
• Developments in Zoo Collections Management
• Human Behaviour Change

• MSc Wild Animal Biology, Royal Veterinary College
• BSc (Hons) Animal Science (Companion and Zoo), Writtle University College

• Member of Universities Federation of Animal Welfare (UFAW)
• Member of the Association of British and Irish Wild Animal Keepers (ABWAK)
• Marketing Assistant and Member of the Primate Society of Great Britain (PSGB)

Norman, M., Kyne, J. and Kitson-Moore, J., 2026, June. Effects of Observer Experience and Observed Behaviour on Qualitative Behavioural Assessment of Captive White-Faced Saki Monkeys (Pithecia pithecia) and Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta). In Biology and Life Sciences Forum (Vol. 65, No. 1, p. 2). MDPI.

Cremers, P., Norman, M., Brando, S. and Fernandez, E.J., 2025. A Comparison of Food and Non-Food Enrichment with Zoo-Housed African Lions (Panthera leo). Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens, 6(2), p.25.

Norman, M., Jones, C., Watson, K. and Previdelli, R.L., 2023. Social network analysis as a tool in the care and wellbeing of zoo animals: A case study of a family group of black lemurs (Eulemur macaco). Animals, 13(22), p.3501.

Brando, S. and Norman, M., 2023. Handling and training of wild animals: evidence and ethics-based approaches and best practices in the modern zoo. Animals, 13(14), p.2247.

Norman, M., Rowden, L.J. and Cowlishaw, G., 2021. Potential applications of personality assessments to the management of non-human primates: A review of 10 years of study. PeerJ, 9, p.e12044.

Norman, M., and Bonici, H., 2026, June. ‘Trends, opportunities, and challenges in the development and implementation of effective animal care guidelines for zoos and aquariums’, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums Research Conference.

O’Regan, J., Norman, M., and Lawron, C., 2026, June. ‘The Fox Next Door: Rethinking Wildlife ‘Belonging’ in Zoos using an Ethical Matrix Framework’, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums Research Conference.

Norman, M., 2026, May. ‘The Power of Student Research: The Impact of Feeding Chopped Food to Small Mammals’, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums Mammal Working Group Conference.

Norman, M., Brando, S., Rachinas-Lopes, P., and Moreno, M. T., 2023, June. ‘Confronting back-of-house traditions and moving ahead for good animal wellbeing 24/7 across lifespan’, British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums Research Conference.

Brando, S., Rachinas-Lopes, P., and Norman, M., 2022, September. ‘Flying bamboo across the globe and invisible animals: tales of feeding animals in zoos’, EurSafe 2022.