Research overview: behavioral competence and reproductive success in captive breeding

Successful reproduction in captivity depends not only on physiology but on appropriate behavior, including mate recognition, courtship, and competent maternal care. This overview surveys how behavioral factors influence breeding success in captive felids, the problems that arise when hand-reared or socially deprived animals fail to mate or rear young, and the husbandry practices that promote normal reproductive behavior. It reviews the importance of early experience, appropriate social introductions, and enclosure design. The review connects behavioral competence to welfare and to the goals of both captive sustainability and reintroduction. Understanding behavioral competence clarifies that reproductive success in managed felids is a product of both biology and behavior, and that husbandry shaping behavior is as important as genetics.