Spectacled bears are South America's only bear species and face significant welfare challenges in captivity due to their specialized Andean forest ecology.
Spectacled bear welfare in captivity requires enclosures that reflect their arboreal foraging ecology. Ground-level enclosures without substantial climbing structures and elevated feeding opportunities fundamentally fail to meet this species' behavioral needs. Their frugivorous diet requires diverse fruit provision and foraging enrichment that engages the manipulative foraging behavior used to extract bromeliads in the wild. The solitary nature of spectacled bears means that social housing requires very careful compatibility assessment, and aggressive encounters in inadequate space cause significant welfare harm. Their declining wild status increases the importance of maintaining welfare-positive captive populations that can serve conservation education and potential reintroduction programs.