What crucial nutrients supplied by wild prey parts like organs and bone marrow must be supplemented in a captive diet?
Calcium, iron, and other necessary micronutrients.
In the wild, a tiger consumes the entire carcass of its prey, ensuring intake of vital components like bone, skin, and organ meat. These less desirable parts are the primary source for crucial micronutrients, including structural minerals like calcium (from bone) and iron (from organs). A captive diet consisting only of muscle meat (which is primarily protein and fat) creates significant nutritional gaps. Therefore, zoo veterinarians must actively supplement the provided raw meat with specific additions, such as calcium supplements and vitamin pre-mixes, to prevent serious skeletal deformities or metabolic deficiencies that would otherwise arise in a sedentary animal lacking these natural inclusions.
