Polar bears in zoos face both welfare challenges from captivity and conservation pressure from climate-driven wild habitat loss. Managing captive polar bear welfare is critical as wild populations decline.
Polar bears present a dual welfare crisis: in the wild, climate change is destroying the sea ice habitat they need to hunt; in captivity, the extreme mismatch between their natural ranging needs and enclosure sizes creates chronic welfare compromise. Neither situation is acceptable, and both require action. Captive polar bears deserve the best possible welfare within unavoidably constrained settings: maximal space, swimming access, cooling systems, and enrichment that activates natural behaviors. These welfare investments also serve conservation education goals. Addressing polar bear welfare ultimately requires both facility improvement and urgent action on the climate change driving wild population decline.