Bears are highly intelligent, wide-ranging omnivores whose welfare in captivity requires sophisticated enrichment programs and large, complex enclosures.
Bear welfare in captivity has been one of the most studied areas of zoo animal behavior. The evidence is clear: bears in barren or insufficiently complex environments develop severe stereotypic behaviors — pacing, head-weaving, regurgitation and reingestion — that are difficult or impossible to extinguish even when environments improve. Prevention through rich initial environments is essential. Modern bear enclosures should include water features for swimming, digging substrates, climbing structures, denning areas, and extensive feeding enrichment (scatter feeding, bear boxes, frozen food logs, hanging feeders). Diet variety mimicking omnivorous foraging — fruit, nuts, fish, meat, invertebrates — provides both nutritional and behavioral enrichment. Seasonal management including pre-hibernation food enrichment is important for ursids that enter torpor.