Andean bears, the only bear species native to South America, are Vulnerable in the wild and require specialized zoo environments that reflect their forest habitat preferences and solitary nature.
Andean bear welfare in captivity requires understanding a species that differs significantly from better-known bear relatives in its habitat preferences and dietary ecology. As cloud forest specialists with a predominantly plant-based diet, Andean bears need diverse browse, fruit, and plant-based enrichment that reflects natural food sources. Their strong climbing motivation requires tall structures with stable platforms for both active climbing and elevated resting. The small global captive population means that each individual animal is genetically important, placing additional pressure on welfare management during breeding and transfer operations. Habitat naturalism that includes dense vegetation, varied substrates, and climbing structures is associated with more complex, less stereotypic behavior in captive Andean bears.