How space requirements for zoo carnivores are determined, what the evidence shows about minimum viable exhibit sizes, and where current standards fall short.
Space requirements for zoo carnivores sit at the heart of debates about whether large-bodied, wide-ranging predators can have adequate welfare in captive settings at all. The evidence is nuanced: raw square meterage matters, but environmental complexity, the ability to control social interactions, and access to dynamic rather than static spaces may matter more. A small but complex, multi-level, dynamically managed space with rotation between areas may provide better welfare than a larger but monotonous enclosure. Progressive zoos increasingly design carnivore exhibits with multiple interconnected spaces, off-exhibit access, and management systems that allow animals to regulate their own exposure to conspecifics and humans.