How modern zoos provide for bear welfare and what welfare-centred bear management looks like across the range of captive bear species.
Bear welfare in zoos has improved substantially over the past few decades as knowledge of bear behaviour and welfare needs has grown. The stereotypic pacing that was once a near-universal feature of zoo bears has been dramatically reduced in progressive facilities through expanded space, complex environments, and enrichment programmes that engage bears' foraging intelligence across many hours of the day. However, welfare quality varies enormously across facilities, and many bears in smaller zoos and roadside attractions continue to live in conditions that cause chronic welfare compromise. Supporting only accredited, welfare-focused facilities is essential.