Brown bears in Europe face welfare challenges from historic captivity, tourism exploitation, and human-wildlife conflict as populations recover.
Former dancing bears rescued by organisations including World Animal Protection showed severe psychological trauma including stereotypic pacing after decades of captivity. Recovery requires years in large sanctuaries with enrichment. Wild bears experiencing human conflict face lethal management. Poorly managed wildlife tourism causes disturbance of denning females and cubs. Bear watching from hides at natural feeding sites offers high welfare and conservation value.