Amur tigers are a critically important conservation species whose welfare in zoo settings requires careful management of their complex needs.
Amur tiger welfare in zoo settings is shaped by the unavoidable tension between conservation necessity and the species' extraordinary spatial needs. Welfare-positive management compensates for space limitations through environmental complexity, daily enrichment rotation, and training that gives tigers agency and control over their interactions. Feeding enrichment — prey carcasses, hanging food, frozen items — engages natural foraging and predatory behaviour far more effectively than standard bowl feeding. Water features that allow swimming provide both enrichment and thermoregulation. Monitoring enclosure use patterns reveals whether tigers can access preferred areas freely or are restricted by social or environmental barriers.