Bears in zoos have complex welfare needs including large space requirements, cognitive enrichment, and seasonal behavioral cycles. Meeting these needs prevents stereotypic behaviors common in captive bears.
Bear welfare in captivity requires a combination of large, complex spaces, intensive enrichment programming, and respect for natural behavioral cycles including reduced activity in winter. The pacing stereotypies seen in many zoo bears are a clear indicator of welfare deficits resulting from insufficient space and behavioral opportunity. Bears are highly motivated foragers — enrichment that engages foraging behavior, including scatter feeding, puzzle feeders, and olfactory novelty, significantly reduces abnormal behavior. Well-designed facilities with naturalistic habitats and skilled behavioral management can provide good bear welfare, but the bar for what constitutes adequate provision is high.