Thousands of tigers are held in captive breeding facilities and tiger farms across Asia, living in barren concrete enclosures under conditions that represent profound welfare failures.
Tigers are wide-ranging predators requiring enormous territories, prey pursuit, and complex environmental stimulation. Captive tigers in concrete enclosures cannot express any of these natural behaviors. Stereotypic pacing — repetitive back-and-forth movement — is a documented response to chronic frustration and boredom. Many captive tigers show signs of nutritional stress, social maladjustment, and psychological deprivation. The commercial motivation for tiger farming removes even the limited welfare oversight that ethical zoos provide.