Tigers are iconic zoo animals facing extinction in the wild. Their welfare in captivity requires significant space, complex enrichment, and careful social management.
Tiger welfare in zoos spans an enormous spectrum. At one end are well-managed accredited facilities with large, naturalistic enclosures and evidence-based welfare monitoring. At the other are roadside zoos, commercial facilities, and private owners keeping tigers in severely inadequate conditions. The ban on cub petting in US zoos (following Big Cat Public Safety Act 2022) was a significant welfare advance. Stereotypic pacing is a welfare indicator that should be taken seriously — tigers that pace predictably along cage boundaries are experiencing behavioral frustration. Enrichment that engages natural predatory and exploratory behaviors is essential. The proliferation of commercially bred tigers without conservation value — including thousands in private US ownership — represents a welfare crisis that has nothing to do with genuine conservation.