Behavioral enrichment strategies that improve welfare for tigers in zoological settings.
Tiger enrichment in zoos has evolved substantially from token food placement to sophisticated programs incorporating olfactory, feeding, social, and cognitive enrichment elements that more comprehensively address the species' behavioral needs. The evidence that enrichment reduces stereotypic pacing and increases behavioral diversity is robust, but the fundamental constraint of zoo space means enrichment programs partially rather than fully address tiger welfare requirements. Positive reinforcement training programs that build cooperative veterinary behavior simultaneously provide enrichment and reduce the welfare cost of medical procedures - a dual benefit that makes training programs particularly valuable components of tiger welfare management.