Sanctuaries for rescued lions, tigers, bears, and other large carnivores must balance space requirements, social needs, and safety with genuine welfare commitment.
The term sanctuary is unregulated and applied to facilities ranging from genuinely welfare-committed operations to barely-improved alternatives to the original problem. Genuine large carnivore sanctuaries provide extensive space that allows natural movement and territory expression, appropriate social grouping based on species needs and individual histories, species-specific enrichment that engages hunting and foraging motivation, and veterinary care without commercial exploitation. Accreditation by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries provides a quality signal based on welfare assessment. Visitors to facilities calling themselves sanctuaries should look for accreditation, transparent welfare reporting, and whether animals are used for commercial activities including public handling and commercial photography.