Welfare requirements for sun bears in zoo environments, including their unique cognitive needs and enrichment challenges.
Sun bears in zoo environments require enrichment programs that match their considerable intelligence and highly specialized foraging adaptations. Their extremely long tongues and powerful claws are tools for complex food extraction — enrichment that does not engage these adaptations fails to meet core behavioral needs. Sun bears rescued from the illegal pet trade often carry significant behavioral trauma that complicates welfare management. Best practices from rehabilitation programs — including complex foraging enrichment, forest substrate, and natural den structures — inform the gold standard for zoo sun bear care. Simpler exhibits fall significantly short of these needs.