Tigers are among the most iconic endangered species in captivity. Maintaining their welfare while contributing to conservation requires large, complex environments and careful management of a solitary, territorial predator.
Tiger welfare in captivity must balance the needs of a large, solitary, wide-ranging predator with the constraints of zoo environments. Stereotypic pacing is common in tigers housed in insufficient space without adequate complexity; its prevention requires large enclosures with varied terrain, vegetation, water features, and multiple activity zones. Enrichment that engages predatory behaviour — scent trails, novel prey items, puzzle feeders — reduces boredom and provides the cognitive stimulation that wild tigers obtain through hunting. Conservation significance adds moral weight to welfare investment: tigers in poor welfare conditions have reduced reproductive success, undermining the captive programme's conservation value.