Polar bears in zoos face significant welfare challenges from their large natural range requirements and climate-sensitive biology, while captive populations contribute to conservation education.
Polar bear welfare in captivity involves a fundamental mismatch between their biological needs and what zoo enclosures can provide. The prevalence and persistence of stereotypic behavior even in highly enriched enclosures suggests that current captive environments do not meet the minimum welfare requirements for this species in many cases. Progressive institutions are investing in much larger, more complex enclosures with appropriate thermal environments, but the scale of intervention required to genuinely meet polar bear welfare needs is beyond most facilities. The conservation education value of zoo polar bears must be weighed honestly against the welfare cost to the individuals held in inadequate conditions.