Malayan sun bears are the smallest bear species and among the most threatened, facing habitat loss, hunting for bile, and live capture for the pet trade. Captive care must accommodate their highly arboreal nature and need for complex foraging environments.
Sun bears in enrichment-poor enclosures show high rates of stereotypic pacing and oral stereotypies reflecting the motivational frustration of species whose wild foraging involves hours of complex manipulative searching. Best-practice facilities provide deep substrate for digging, varied bark and log structures for natural foraging, puzzle feeders requiring manipulation to access honey and insects, and extensive arboreal climbing structures. Former pet and bile farm bears require extended rehabilitation to recover natural foraging competence before any release assessment. Conservation messaging around bile farming welfare consequences is essential for reducing demand for bear products.