Evidence for chronic stress in captive but not free-ranging cheetahs

Terio, Marker and Munson compared adrenal gland morphology and function between captive and wild cheetahs to test whether captivity imposes chronic stress. Captive cheetahs showed adrenal changes and hormone patterns consistent with chronic stress, whereas free-ranging Namibian cheetahs did not. The findings tied captivity-related stress to the well-known health problems of captive cheetahs, including gastritis and poor reproduction, suggesting a physiological pathway from husbandry stressors to disease. The study is a landmark in linking welfare, stress physiology and clinical pathology in a single species, and it spurred efforts to reduce stressors such as proximity to other predators, public exposure and lack of control in cheetah enclosures.