Tiger

Did you know?
that there are more privately owned "pet" tigers in the United States than there are wild tigers in the whole world? These unfortunate animals are usually declawed, often mistreated, and may suffer serious health problems due to inbreeding or inadequate feed.

Photo Copyright by
Valerie Abbott

Why do zoos keep this animal

Zoos keep tigers for essentially the same reason as they keep any endangered species - conservation. Tigers are a very effective focus for all kinds of conservation efforts. People are fascinated by their power, grace and beauty, and hence they can inspire a lifelong concern for our wildlife and our environment - both in the West and in countries where tigers still live, yet can be seen only in the zoos. This great public affection for the tiger also helps in raising funds for the field; many zoos use tigers as a conservation flagship, and in 2002-4 they were the focus of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Tiger Campaign. During the campaign EAZA zoos raised three-quarters of a million Euros, which was used to support tiger conservation projects in four countries through 21st Century Tiger . The Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (ARAZPA) also raised a significant amount through their own campaign, and many individual zoos in these and other regions have continue to produce funds for tigers after the campaign ended.

Less obvious than fundraising or awareness are the conservation contributions zoo tigers can make in terms of information and skills. Captures for radio-collaring studies, for example, would not be possible without the knowledge of tiger anaesthetics developed in zoos over many years. Zoos can also supply biological data, such as exact gestation period, and useful biological samples - for example, in 2004 zoo tiger blood samples were collected in UK zoos to help develop a system whereby field workers can identify individual wild tigers from DNA markers found in their faeces. Zoos around the world are carefully managing their tiger populations in order to ensure they can keep generating all these benefits for at least the next century, and this also ensures that should there ever be a need for a reintroduction of tigers using zoo stocks, suitable animals will be available. However, the driving force behind maintenance of zoo tiger populations is to prevent extinction in the wild, rather than to attempt to cure it after the event! Large carnivores such as tigers are among the most difficult animals to reintroduce successfully, primarily because of the potential for conflict with humans, and the best strategy is to avoid the need.

How this animal should be kept

Legal requirements for the keeping of large cats vary greatly from country to country. Even if lower national standards apply, it is recommended that an outdoor enclosure of 500 m² per pair, or a female with offspring if kept separate, should be provided. The enclosure should be enlarged by 50 m² for each additional adult. Covered enclosures should be at least 3.5 m high. In cold and temperate climatic zones, an indoor enclosure of at least 15 m² per adult animal is necessary, where a minimum temperature of 15°C should be maintained. This does not apply to Siberian tigers, which need a simple shelter only.

Dens should contain at least an elevated resting place and, for providing drinking water, a good solid metal dish that is cleaned every day and heavy enough not to be knocked over easily, or a licksit, or an automatically filled bowl that can be easily disassembled for cleaning. There should be at least one den more than there are animals. The dens should be interconnected and connected to the outdoor enclosure by slide doors. Slides are better horizontal than vertical, and should be positioned so the keeper can see the area around the slide clearly while operating it. Hydraulics are unnecessary for tigers. The animals should have access to the outdoor enclosure all year round.

Outdoor enclosures should be well drained. They should have natural soil with a grass cover or a layer of sand, marly limestone or bark chippings. Bark chippings in sunlight get acidic and discourage parasite load. Enclosures must not be empty but suitably furnished to meet the tigers' needs such as the following: Visual barriers to enable the tigers to hide from one another, e.g. rises/dips in the ground, logs, rocks, plantings, but these should not allow one cat to corner another, there should always be an escape route. Trees for scratching and shade, but not too near the fence. Platforms for sitting on and overlooking a view - if possible, one in the shade and one in the sun. Plants that smell strong and/or attract insects add interest. There must be several resting places providing some protection from inclement weather, and a pool of reasonable size for bathing and swimming, gently sloping from the edge to minimise risk of cubs falling in and not more than 1m deep in the middle. Tigers like to sit in relatively shallow water. The pool should be drainable and fillable by controls outside the enclosure to minimise time the cats have to be locked in. A "tiger feeding pole" is good; this is a thick telegraph pole or similar, about 6 m high. One puts alump of meat on top, the tiger will go up pole to get meat (it will soon learn to get down again). This is good exercise and enrichment, and also entertainment for the public.

Fencing: minimum 4m high strong wire mesh with 1m internal overhang at 45 degrees and at least one strand of hotwire, preferably two. Good locations for hotwire are halfway up where a cat would kick the fence going up, and at the top. A good proportion of the border should be visually opaque so that the cats do not feel that they are overlooked from all sides. If a water moat is used, the tigers' jumping and swimming abilities have to be taken into account, as well as the potential risk of freezing.

Access to outside enclosure for regular cleaning should be through either the indoor facility or a lock chamber so that there is more security. There should be at least two lockable doors between a cat and the outside world at any time. Doors should open inward; that way if a door is not locked and a cat pushes on it, it stays closed. There can also be a large gate directly from the outside enclosure to the outside world for occasional use when wanting to bring in a new tree or large log or other enclosure furniture.

Tigers are solitary animals and should be kept alone, in pairs or small groups of compatible animals. Females giving birth should be separated. There should be a cubbing den; dry, dark, quiet, warm, draught-free, positioned in the least disturbed part of the facility. A wooden den in this for giving birth is an option but not essential if the den is well designed. A low-light video camera in this is good if there is the money for it. A keeper spyhole is an option instead but take care that using it does not disturb the mother. Females rearing their cubs should also kept separate, unless the male is known to be tolerant towards his offspring.

The diet should consist of entire carcases, meat on the bone, eventually with skin, supplemented with mineral salts and vitamins, and occasionally offals. In North America commercial diets consisting of minced meat with mineral and vitamin supplements are available. Such feed is, however, not deemed to be in compliance with animal welfare regulations of many countries in Europe and possibly elsewhere. When feeding poultry, it should be considered that all large cats are susceptible to virulent strains of avian influenza.