Tigers are among the most iconic conservation targets and the most widely kept captive big cats. The welfare and conservation dimensions of tiger captivity are frequently in tension.
The tiger captivity landscape is diverse: from AZA-accredited conservation programmes with sophisticated welfare management to backyard menageries and commercial tiger farms with minimal standards. Welfare and conservation alignment depends on context. Accredited conservation breeding serves both; commercial captive facilities that supply the bone trade actively harm wild conservation. For visitors and supporters, distinguishing genuine conservation programmes from welfare-poor or conservation-damaging operations requires specific criteria: accreditation status, breeding programme participation, enrichment quality, and stance on commercial tiger products.