Polar bears face welfare challenges both in the wild — from sea ice loss — and in captivity, where providing adequate thermal comfort, cognitive stimulation, and physical space for the world's largest terrestrial carnivore is inherently difficult.
Polar bear welfare in captivity is constrained by the fundamental impossibility of replicating the vast sea ice ecosystems these animals evolved in. Even the best zoo exhibit is a fraction of a wild polar bear's natural range. This does not mean zoo polar bears inevitably suffer, but it places an enormous responsibility on facilities to maximise cognitive engagement, physical complexity, and social management. Stereotypic pacing — the most visible indicator of inadequate welfare — should be monitored and minimised through enrichment innovation. In the wild, the primary emerging welfare concern is climate-driven: bears forced to fast on land for extended periods as ice breaks up earlier are increasingly nutritionally stressed, and starving bears show clear signs of distress.