Amur tigers are the world's largest cat and one of conservation's great success stories, recovering from fewer than 40 individuals to around 500 through protection and international coordination. Zoo populations maintain genetic insurance and fund field programmes in the Russian Far East.
Amur tigers in zoo settings require large, complex enclosures adapted to their cold-adapted physiology, with outdoor access year-round and indoor heated retreats available. Their territorial nature means single-sex or breeding pairs require carefully managed introductions. Welfare problems arise in undersized, barren exhibits without environmental complexity. Conservation messaging at Amur tiger exhibits can connect visitors directly to supporting field conservation in the Russian Far East. Many zoos contribute financially to anti-poaching ranger salaries and prey restoration programmes that directly protect wild individuals.