Welfare needs of the spectacled bear in captivity and how zoo programs can better address this species unique requirements.
Spectacled bear welfare in captivity requires recognition of their arboreal lifestyle and frugivorous diet. Enclosures without climbing structures deny a fundamental behavioral need. Dietary enrichment that replicates the varied fruit diet and includes foraging challenges — fruit hidden in substrate, puzzle feeders, scatter feeding — is critical for behavioral welfare. As a less commonly kept species, evidence-based welfare standards are still developing, making individual behavioral monitoring and welfare research particularly important.