Tiger colour morphs in zoos raise conservation and welfare concerns

Tigers (Panthera tigris) with white, golden and snow pelages (tiger colour morphs) are genetically compromised individuals, bred through inbreeding practices in captivity to attract visitors based on a perception of their rarity. Displaying such animals does not align with the aims of a modern zoo since they hold limited conservation or educational value and frequently suffer from health problems due to inbreeding. This study presents the first multi-year analysis of colour morph tigers in Thailand’s captive zoo population, using data from 44 zoos between 2017 and 2025. In 2025, we also assessed signage at exhibits displaying colour morphs for educational content and documented colour morphs used in animal-visitor interactions. Whilst no statistically significant increase in morph prevalence was observed overall from 2017 to 2025, significant increases post-COVID-19 in golden and snow morphs were detected. Private zoos accounted for the majority of morphs throughout the study, with accredited zoos and government contributing minimally. All signs lacked educational value, and we found colour morphs were disproportionately used in animal-visitor interactions. These findings highlight practices that harm conservation, animal welfare and educational messaging with implications for global collections. The continued exhibition of colour morphs reflects commercial priorities rather than contributing towards conservation goals. We recommend an immediate cessation of morph breeding, supported by policy-level interventions to align best conservation and welfare practices, in addition to providing clear signage to effectively communicate with visitors why colour morphs should not be displayed.