Sun bears are the smallest and least studied bear species, yet they face significant welfare challenges in captivity from bile farming, inappropriate housing, and behavioral deprivation.
Sun bear welfare exists on a spectrum from the extreme cruelty of bile farming to the excellent conditions at dedicated conservation centers like the BSBCC in Sabah. The contrast is instructive: bears rescued from bile farms require years of behavioral rehabilitation before showing normal sun bear behavior, demonstrating the depth of welfare damage from farming conditions. Zoo standards for sun bears must include arboreal access, den opportunities, and foraging enrichment to support the species-specific behaviors that have been so profoundly suppressed in exploitative contexts.