Wolves in zoos live in complex social hierarchies that captivity cannot fully replicate, creating ongoing welfare management challenges.
Wolves in captivity present welfare challenges rooted in the mismatch between their natural social structure and what zoos can provide. Wild wolf packs are family groups with established relationships; zoo groups are often assembled from unrelated individuals with no natural social history, producing chronic dominance conflicts. Space requirements for adequate territorial behavior cannot be met in most zoo settings. Wolves kept in well-designed enclosures with appropriate social groupings and enrichment achieve better welfare outcomes, but the baseline welfare challenges of wolf captivity remain significant.