Tigers number fewer than 4,000 in the wild and face threats from poaching and habitat loss, while thousands more exist in controversial captive breeding facilities with poor welfare standards.
Tiger welfare exists in a conservation paradox. Wild tigers live in increasingly fragmented and poached habitats with reduced prey. Wild prey depletion forces tigers toward livestock, creating conflict. Poaching for body parts continues despite CITES bans. Captive tigers in many facilities experience extreme welfare deprivation in small concrete enclosures without appropriate enrichment or social conditions. Petting zoos and tourist interaction facilities cause chronic stress. Captive breeding operations supplying the tiger bone trade keep animals in bare facilities to maximize breeding rates. Genuine sanctuaries providing adequate space and appropriate social conditions are rare. The existence of large numbers of captive tigers makes enforcement of the trade ban more difficult by providing cover for wild-caught animal parts.