Spectacled bears are the only bear native to South America and the only surviving short-faced bear species. Their welfare in zoos requires arboreal access, varied diet, and solitary management outside breeding periods.
Captive spectacled bear welfare requires arboreal structure that accommodates their genuine climbing motivation, distinguishing them from more terrestrial bear species. Feeding enrichment must include the diverse frugivorous diet they evolved for; monotonous commercial diets cause nutritional deficiencies and behavioral monotony. Their solitary nature means permanent social housing causes chronic low-level tension; adjacent enclosures with choice-based contact are preferable to forced cohabitation. Enrichment rotation is particularly important for this intelligent species; habituation to static features occurs rapidly. Spectacled bears benefit from positive reinforcement training enabling keeper-animal relationships that facilitate health monitoring without chemical immobilization.