Polar bears face welfare challenges both in the wild from climate-driven sea ice loss and in captivity where replicating Arctic conditions is extremely difficult, raising questions about the ethics of polar bear keeping.
Polar bear welfare presents one of the most challenging cases in zoo animal ethics. These large carnivores evolved for Arctic conditions and vast sea ice ranges, and their welfare in captivity is compromised even in the best-equipped facilities by inadequate thermal conditions, insufficient space, and absence of natural prey hunting opportunities. The persistent stereotypic pacing documented in captive polar bears across institutions worldwide indicates chronic welfare deficit that enrichment programs reduce but cannot eliminate. The conservation justification for captive polar bears is also weakening as sea ice loss accelerates, since captive populations cannot be meaningfully reintroduced to a habitat that is rapidly disappearing. The most honest welfare assessment for polar bears suggests that existing animals in care should receive the best possible conditions while the case for new acquisitions is very weak.