Do tigers live longer in zoos or in the wild?

The life span of tigers in the wild is usually between 10 and 15 years. In human care, or on rare occasions in the wild, a tiger can live up to 20 years. However, approximately half of all wild tiger cubs do not survive past the first two years of life.



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In captivity, their lifespan is about 20 to 26 years. As can be expected, the lifespan of a tiger is greatly increased when they are privately owned or kept in zoos. This is because they no longer have to worry about hunting for food or being exposed to harsh weather patterns.

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A study of more than 50 mammal species found that, in over 80 per cent of cases, zoo animals live longer than their wild counterparts.

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Polar bears are the animals that do worst in captivity. Carnivores such as polar bears, tigers, cheetahs, and lions are especially poorly suited for life in a zoo, according to a new study. The more an animal roams in the wild, the researchers found, the worse it fares in captivity.

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What we do know so far is that evidence suggests wild animals can be as happy in captivity as they are in nature, assuming they are treated well. Confinement alone doesn't mean an animal is automatically worse off.

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Zoos are, incontrovertibly, key funders of tiger conservation in general and of Sumatran tiger conservation in particular. In addition to their role in financing research and conservation, zoos play an important role in training specialists and are a source of valuable research and new ideas.

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Reintroduction programs, by which animals raised or rehabilitated in AZA-accredited zoos or aquariums are released into their natural habitats, are powerful tools used for stabilizing, reestablishing, or increasing in-situ animal populations that have suffered significant declines.

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