Big cats in zoos require cognitive, sensory, and physical enrichment that meets their complex behavioral needs as predators with large natural territories, with enrichment science providing evidence-based approaches to improving welfare.
Zoo felid welfare is fundamentally challenged by the inability to meet natural territorial and hunting behavioral needs in captive environments. Enrichment science has identified multiple strategies that partially address these needs by providing cognitive challenge, physical complexity, and olfactory stimulation. Prey scent enrichment activates natural hunting investigation sequences extending behavioral engagement. Food puzzle enrichment extends foraging time from minutes to hours more closely approximating natural time budgets. While enrichment cannot fully compensate for the absence of natural territory, evidence-based programs significantly improve welfare indicators in captive felids.