Research overview: cooperative population management of captive tigers

Captive tigers are managed cooperatively across institutions to maintain genetically healthy, self-sustaining populations as insurance against wild declines. This overview surveys how tiger breeding programs use studbooks, mean kinship, and demographic modeling to plan pairings and transfers among zoos. It reviews the importance of preserving subspecies integrity, managing founder representation, and avoiding the inbreeding that has affected some lineages. The review connects population management to assisted reproduction and biobanking, which can supplement natural breeding. Understanding cooperative tiger population management illustrates the coordination required to sustain a large carnivore in captivity over generations, balancing genetic diversity, demographic stability, space constraints, and the goal of supporting wild conservation.