Polar bears are among the most difficult large carnivores to keep well in captivity, and welfare science is now informing minimum space, enrichment, and social requirements for accredited facilities.
Polar bear welfare in captivity illustrates the tension between conservation messaging and individual animal welfare. These wide-ranging, cognitively complex carnivores are extremely difficult to keep in a state that meets their behavioural needs, and stereotypic behaviours are widespread even in well-resourced facilities. Modern welfare science applied to polar bears emphasises choice and control — the ability to move between environments, engage with complex enrichment, and avoid social or environmental stressors. Some leading zoos are choosing not to replace their polar bear collections as animals die, acknowledging that welfare standards cannot be adequately met. Public debate about whether polar bears should be kept in zoos at all is legitimate and reflects a broader ethical question about which species belong in captivity.