Sun bears are the smallest bear species and face significant welfare challenges in captivity due to their active, intelligent nature and specialized tropical forest adaptations.
Sun bear welfare faces dramatically different challenges depending on context. In accredited zoos, welfare depends on providing large naturalistic enclosures with climbing structures, foraging enrichment, and appropriate solitary housing with managed social contact. In bear bile farms, welfare is catastrophically compromised, with bears confined in metal cages so small they cannot turn around, with permanent catheters causing chronic pain and infection. Bear sanctuaries rescue bile farm bears and provide rehabilitation in naturalistic environments. Sun bear bile farming represents one of the most severe forms of animal exploitation and is illegal in most but not all Asian countries.