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Welfare Implications for Tigers in Travelling Circuses
Emily Davies1, Andrew Knight1,2,3
1Representing Animals, 147 Station Road, London E4 6AG, UK.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|April 13, 2024
Summary
Traveling circuses often negatively impact tiger welfare due to inadequate environments and care. Scientific evidence indicates tigers are ill-suited for circus life, lacking essential species-specific needs.
Area of Science:
- Animal Welfare Science
- Conservation Biology
- Ethology
Background:
- Limited research exists on species-specific welfare for tigers in traveling circuses.
- Tigers are still widely used in traveling circuses globally due to a lack of scientific evidence informing legislation.
- Circus environments are generally considered sub-optimal compared to zoological institutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review existing literature on tiger welfare in captive environments, with a focus on traveling circuses.
- To infer welfare implications for tigers in circuses by examining studies conducted in zoos, using the Five Domains framework.
- To assess the suitability of traveling circuses for meeting the psychological, physiological, and behavioral needs of tigers.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was performed using Web of Science and Scopus databases.
- A narrative search supplemented the systematic review.
- Forty-two relevant studies on tiger welfare in captivity (circuses and zoos) were identified and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Only eight studies directly assessed tiger welfare in circuses, highlighting a significant research gap.
- Inferred impacts suggest traveling circuses negatively affect tiger welfare in nutrition, physical environment, health, and mental state.
- Limitations in enclosure size, enrichment, appropriate nutrition, and veterinary care contribute to poor welfare.
Conclusions:
- The traveling nature of circuses presents challenges in providing adequate species-specific care for tigers.
- Circus performances can lead to negative welfare outcomes due to factors like noise and spectator disruption.
- Scientific evidence suggests tigers are not well-suited for the conditions provided by traveling circuses.
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