Bears in zoological settings require extensive enrichment and large, complex enclosures to meet their cognitive and behavioral needs and prevent welfare problems.
Bear welfare in zoos has improved substantially as the field has moved from concrete dens to naturalistic enclosures with enrichment programs. However, providing adequate welfare for bears remains challenging: their cognitive complexity and wide natural ranging mean that even large, well-enriched enclosures represent a significant restriction. The welfare obligation for captive bears requires continuous investment in environmental complexity, foraging enrichment, and social opportunities where species-appropriate, alongside honest assessment of whether individual bears are thriving rather than merely surviving.