Brown bears in European zoos and wildlife parks face specific welfare challenges related to their size, intelligence, and ecological needs. Evidence-based welfare assessment can distinguish good from poor provision.
Brown bears are wide-ranging, highly intelligent omnivores whose welfare needs are extremely difficult to meet in captivity. In barren or small enclosures, stereotypic behaviours are virtually inevitable — they represent coping mechanisms for an animal unable to perform its natural behavioural repertoire. The best captive bear facilities provide large, varied enclosures with foraging opportunities (hide food, puzzle feeders), water for swimming, denning structures, and social grouping opportunities. The worst — seen historically in many Eastern European tourist attractions — are bare concrete cages where bears pace constantly. The welfare contrast between best and worst practice is stark.