Tigers are apex predators with strong predatory drives that must be engaged in zoo environments. Effective enrichment programs maintain psychological wellbeing and prevent stereotypic behavior.
Tiger welfare in zoos fundamentally depends on enrichment that engages their predatory motivation sequence. Tigers evolved to spend most of their active hours searching, stalking, ambushing, and handling prey. Zoo environments that reduce this to a twice-daily feeding routine leave the predatory drive profoundly unfulfilled, producing pacing, wall-following, and other stereotypic behaviors that indicate poor welfare. High-quality tiger enrichment must be varied, unpredictable, and require effort: carcasses hung at height requiring climbing and pulling, scent trails requiring tracking, novel objects exploring with paws and mouth, and puzzle feeders that require sustained manipulation. Olfactory enrichment — novel scents, predator-prey urine, spices — engages investigative behavior. Social management must be careful: tigers cohabiting without compatible temperament and adequate space suffer stress and serious injuries. The best zoo tiger programs alternate enclosures, provide multiple access points, and offer daily varied enrichment schedules.