Polar bears face existential threat from climate change in the wild. In zoos, their welfare requires managing the challenges of housing an arctic specialist in temperate climates.
Polar bear welfare in zoos presents a fundamental dilemma: these are highly wide-ranging arctic specialists whose natural habitat is disappearing. Enclosures cannot replicate the vast sea ice hunting grounds of wild bears, and stereotypic pacing — a sign of psychological frustration — is nearly universal in captive polar bears regardless of enclosure quality. Thermal management is critical; overheating causes significant stress. Water features providing diving and swimming opportunities are essential. The conservation value of zoo polar bear populations is debated: they contribute little to wild survival, though they raise substantial public awareness and funds for arctic conservation. Whether this justifies the welfare compromise of captivity is a live ethical debate.