Polar bears in captivity face profound welfare challenges due to the vast difference between their Arctic range and zoo environments, making them one of the most welfare-problematic species to keep.
Polar bears represent one of the clearest cases where the fundamental mismatch between an animal species biology and captive capacity creates near-unavoidable welfare deficits. The scale of movement, the sensory environment of sea ice, the cognitive demands of hunting, and the temperature regime of the Arctic cannot be replicated in zoo settings. Stereotypic pacing in captive polar bears is a well-documented consequence. Modern zoos face difficult questions about whether they can provide adequate welfare for this species, and some have decided the answer is no.