Mountain lion enrichment science is revealing which enrichment types most effectively reduce stereotypy and promote positive welfare states in large felids.
Mountain lion enrichment science has advanced from general principles to specific evidence-based protocols that optimize welfare in limited space environments. The hierarchy of enrichment effectiveness is now reasonably well-established: prey-item enrichment that engages the complete predatory sequence provides the greatest welfare benefit, followed by novel scent enrichment that engages the dominant olfactory sense. Environmental complexity improvements are structural investments with lasting benefit rather than consumable enrichments requiring constant provision. The enrichment rotation principle — preventing habituation by systematically varying items — is critical for maintaining welfare benefit over time. These evidence-based protocols, applied consistently, can meaningfully reduce the stereotypic behavior that indicates chronic welfare compromise in captive mountain lions.