Research library
🧬 The Felid Wiki — 3,000 research summaries
AI-curated summaries for the pride’s library — verify citations independently before citing.
14 summaries in Captive Care & Welfare on snow-leopard
Effect of felid activity on zoo visitor interest
PaperMargulis, Hoyos and Anderson examined the relationship between how active captive cats are and how long visitors watch them. Observing several felid species, they found that visitor interest, measured…
Margulis SW, Hoyos C, Anderson M · Zoo Biology · 2003
Personality structure in the domestic cat, African lion, snow leopard, and clouded leopard
PaperGartner, Powell and Weiss applied systematic personality assessment to four felid species, having keepers rate individuals on behavioural traits and then analysing the underlying structure. They ident…
Gartner MC, Powell DM, Weiss A · Journal of Comparative Psychology · 2014
Research overview: behavioral indicators of welfare in captive felids
OverviewBehaviour offers a rich, non-invasive window into felid welfare, but interpreting it requires care. This overview surveys the behavioural signs used to assess captive cats: stereotypic pacing and rout…
Research overview: captive welfare and management of snow leopards
OverviewSnow leopards, adapted to cold, rugged, high-altitude terrain, present particular welfare considerations in captivity. This overview surveys their husbandry: the importance of elevated rocky structure…
Research overview: enclosure size, design and the prevalence of pacing in zoo felids
OverviewComparative and within-institution studies have probed which enclosure features predict pacing in captive cats. This overview surveys evidence relating stereotypic pacing to enclosure size, complexity…
Research overview: integrated, multi-measure welfare assessment for captive big cats
OverviewNo single indicator captures welfare reliably, so the field has moved toward integrated assessment combining multiple lines of evidence. This overview surveys how comprehensive welfare evaluation for…
Research overview: naturalistic exhibit design and behavioural opportunity for felids
OverviewModern exhibit design aims to provide not just naturalistic appearance for visitors but genuine behavioural opportunity for animals. This overview surveys principles of felid exhibit design: complex,…
Research overview: pacing as thwarted ranging and appetitive motivation in captive carnivores
OverviewStereotypic pacing is the signature abnormal behaviour of captive carnivores, and a leading explanation links it to thwarted ranging and unfulfilled appetitive, pre-consummatory motivation, the search…
Research overview: personality and temperament in the management of captive wild felids
OverviewIndividual cats differ consistently in boldness, fearfulness, aggressiveness and sociability, and these stable traits affect welfare, breeding success and how animals respond to husbandry. This overvi…
Research overview: the visitor effect in captive felids
OverviewThis overview surveys how the presence and behaviour of visitors specifically affect captive cats, a group that frequently responds to crowds with vigilance, hiding or altered activity. It examines st…
Research overview: thermal environment and climate adaptation in captive felids
OverviewFelid species span tropical jungles, deserts and high mountains, so meeting their thermal needs in captivity, often in non-native climates, is a real welfare challenge. This overview surveys thermal w…
Research overview: using cortisol monitoring to evaluate management interventions in felids
OverviewNon-invasive cortisol metabolite monitoring lets keepers test whether husbandry changes actually reduce physiological stress, moving welfare management from intuition to evidence. This overview survey…
Research overview: vertical structure, complexity and three-dimensional space in felid enclosures
OverviewCats are arboreal-capable, climbing predators that value height, and research consistently shows captive felids prefer and benefit from elevated resting platforms, climbing structures and visually com…
The visitor effect on zoo animals: implications and opportunities for zoo animal welfare
ReviewSherwen and Hemsworth reviewed and reframed the visitor effect, drawing on human-animal interaction science from farm animals to argue that visitors are a salient and often underestimated feature of t…
Sherwen SL, Hemsworth PH · Animals · 2019