Bears are cognitively complex animals that develop severe stereotypic behaviours in inadequate zoo environments. High-quality habitat design and extensive enrichment are essential to bear welfare in captivity.
Bear welfare in captivity is critically dependent on enclosure design and enrichment provision. Bears with inadequate space and stimulation develop stereotypic pacing that, once established, persists even when conditions improve. The cognitive complexity of bears means that enrichment must be varied, challenging, and unpredictable to maintain engagement; the same enrichment repeated daily quickly loses effectiveness. Zoos that invest in large naturalistic enclosures with complex foraging opportunities, varied substrates, and daily novel enrichment can achieve adequate welfare for most bear species, though polar bears present particularly difficult challenges given their exceptional ranging requirements.