The Amur leopard is one of the most endangered wild cats on Earth, with zoo populations playing a critical conservation role while also providing an opportunity to study and meet the welfare needs of this solitary, cold-adapted big cat.
Amur leopards in well-run zoos can serve a genuine conservation function and, with careful husbandry, can have acceptable welfare. The critical challenges include providing sufficient space and environmental complexity for an animal evolved to roam vast territories, managing the psychological needs of a naturally solitary species (including minimizing forced proximity to other leopards), and reducing human disturbance. Enrichment programs that allow leopards to stalk, climb, and engage with novel scents and textures are essential for psychological wellbeing. The conservation justification for keeping these animals is stronger than for many zoo species given the precarious wild population, but this does not reduce the obligation to provide excellent individual welfare.