Amur tigers are the largest of the big cats and present significant welfare challenges in zoo settings, requiring extensive territory, complex environmental enrichment, and careful management to prevent stereotypic behaviours.
Amur tigers are cognitively complex animals whose welfare in captivity depends heavily on the quality and size of their enclosure, the richness of their social and sensory environment, and the expertise of their keepers. Stereotypic pacing — a common indicator of poor welfare — can affect up to 80% of tigers in facilities with inadequate space or stimulation. High-welfare facilities prioritise large naturalistic enclosures, unpredictable feeding schedules that mimic hunting, opportunities for choice and control, and careful management of social groupings. For a species that is critically endangered, zoo populations serve an important conservation function, but only where individual animal welfare is genuinely prioritised alongside population viability goals.