Bears held in captivity — from bear bile farms to poorly-managed zoos and sanctuaries — present some of the most serious animal welfare challenges globally.
The welfare spectrum for captive bears ranges from the extreme cruelty of bile farming — where bears are confined in crush cages for years with open abdominal wounds — to well-managed sanctuary environments where rescued bears gradually recover and express normal behaviors. Bears in poorly managed zoos experience welfare compromise through insufficient space, barren environments, inappropriate diet, and social isolation. The psychological complexity of bears means that stereotypic behaviors develop rapidly in suboptimal conditions and are extremely difficult to eliminate once established. Genuine welfare for captive bears requires large naturalistic enclosures with varied terrain, water features, foraging opportunities, and appropriate social contact. The case for bear bile farming has no welfare justification — synthetic and herbal alternatives to bear bile exist and are widely available.