Sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) are the smallest bear species and face significant welfare challenges in both captivity and the wild. The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre is a model for welfare-focused care.
Sun bears in captivity face welfare challenges from facilities that fail to understand their behavioral complexity. Many are kept in concrete enclosures without enrichment, substrate for digging, or climbing structures — resulting in severe stereotypic behavior including pacing and head-weaving. Bears rescued from the pet trade or bile farms often carry lasting psychological trauma requiring patient rehabilitation. The BSBCC model provides large forest enclosures where bears can forage, climb, and express natural foraging behaviors — the contrast in behavioral welfare compared to barren cages is profound. Bile farming, which involves catheterization of the gallbladder, causes chronic pain and infection in affected bears. Advocacy for bile farm closure and investment in synthetic alternatives is a critical welfare priority.