Research overview: temperament and breeding success in captive felids

In endangered cats, individual temperament can determine reproductive success and welfare in managed-care programs. This overview surveys research extending the cheetah findings to other species, examining how traits such as tension, fearfulness, and aggressiveness relate to breeding outcomes, enclosure use, and stress physiology in clouded leopards, snow leopards, and other felids. It discusses how keeper-rating instruments and behavioural observation guide pairing decisions, enrichment, and enclosure design to improve reproduction and welfare. The topic shows that incorporating personality into conservation breeding can raise success rates, making temperament assessment a practical tool for the management of threatened cat populations in zoos and breeding centres.