Snow leopards present unique welfare challenges in captivity due to their solitary nature and high activity requirements.
Snow leopard welfare in captivity depends on providing adequate space, thermal comfort, and low-stress visitor interactions. Facilities in warm climates must provide climate-controlled areas. Breeding programmes require careful introduction management to prevent aggression. Time-budgets comparing wild and captive behaviour are a useful welfare assessment tool, with captive snow leopards often showing reduced locomotion and activity diversity.