Bears in zoos are among the most frequently observed exhibiting stereotypic behaviors indicating psychological distress, and addressing the enrichment and space deficits that drive these behaviors is central to improving their welfare.
Bear welfare in zoos reveals a persistent gap between what these intelligent, wide-ranging animals need and what standard zoo enclosures historically provided. The prevalence of stereotypic pacing and weaving in captive bears is a welfare indicator that reflects the inadequacy of enclosures that fail to provide the cognitive and physical stimulation bears are strongly motivated to seek. Modern bear welfare management recognizes that enrichment must be both cognitively challenging and varied enough to prevent habituation, that natural substrate enables the digging and rooting behaviors that occupy wild bears, and that pool access for swimming species is infrastructure rather than luxury. Individual bears develop strong preferences that require personalized enrichment planning from keepers with detailed knowledge of their charges. The investment in bear enrichment is repaid in reduced stereotypy frequency, increased behavioral diversity, and better welfare outcomes that sophisticated zoo visitors increasingly recognize and value.