Polar bears are wide-ranging Arctic predators whose captive welfare is particularly challenging to support given their immense natural space requirements and the thermal demands of their environment. Enrichment and behavioural management are essential for psychological health.
Stereotypic locomotion in polar bears is a welfare crisis indicator that, once established, persists even after environmental improvement. Prevention requires high-quality environments from the outset: large land areas with varied topography, deep water pools for swimming, ice provision in warm climates, and complex feeding regimes that spread foraging activity over many hours. Climate-controlled facilities are non-negotiable for heat management. Conservation messaging at polar bear exhibits can directly connect visitor experience to Arctic warming, making welfare and conservation goals mutually reinforcing.