Maximizing behavioral diversity in captive carnivores through enrichment programs is the primary welfare goal for these cognitively complex predators.
Behavioral diversity is one of the best indicators of welfare quality in captive carnivores - animals with rich behavioral repertoires are using their cognitive and physical capacities in ways that reflect positive welfare states. The goal of carnivore enrichment is not entertainment for zoo visitors but the activation of behavioral systems that are suppressed in barren environments. Comprehensive enrichment programs that address foraging, social, exploratory, and sensory needs simultaneously can dramatically increase behavioral diversity and provide a meaningful welfare advance for captive predators.