Lions, tigers, leopards and cheetahs in captivity face chronic welfare challenges due to the vast territories they require in the wild and the stress of captive conditions.
Big cats in captivity show high rates of stereotypic behaviour, particularly pacing, which is a reliable indicator of chronic frustration and poor welfare. Their need for large territories with complex landscapes cannot be met in zoo enclosures. Some cheetah populations fail to reproduce in captivity without specialist management. The welfare of big cats varies enormously between institutions; accredited facilities with large naturalistic enclosures and enrichment programmes achieve significantly better outcomes.