Feeding carnivores in zoos involves welfare trade-offs between naturalistic feeding behavior and the welfare of prey species used in enrichment programs.
Zoo carnivore feeding creates a welfare tension between the enrichment value of naturalistic feeding behavior and the welfare of prey species. Whole carcass feeding - where commercially slaughtered animals are provided intact - provides behavioral enrichment and dental health benefits without requiring additional welfare harm. Live feeding of prey animals to carnivores in public view is increasingly prohibited as entertainment performance, though it may be permitted in managed off-public contexts as enrichment for species requiring it. Designing feeding enrichment that meets predator behavioral needs while avoiding unnecessary prey suffering requires careful species-specific consideration.