This book is a behaviour-based approach to captive bear management. It provides a comprehensive guide to the evolutionary, physical and psychological needs of the eight bear species, combining data from wildlife ecologists, captive institutions and research facilities to promote the best-practice management of bears in captivity. The initial chapters offer a rationale for a behaviour-based approach, examining the habitat, behaviour and ecology of bear species in the wild, and their traditional management in captive environments. The authors discuss the benefits and drawbacks of various captive management systems, dispel common myths troubleshoot specific problems, and promote an evidence-based, best-practice approach to successfully managing these challenging species in captive environments.

Dr Heather Bacon, Veterinary Welfare Education and Outreach Manager, Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Dr Bacon is the Veterinary Welfare Education and Outreach manager at the University of Edinburgh's Jeanne Marchig International Centre for Animal Welfare Education, a position co-funded by Animals Asia. She lectures on captive wildlife welfare issues, and has worked with the FVE and European Commission to develop continuing education on captive wildlife welfare in Europe. She is a Director of the Bear Care Group, an international bear management organisation which holds conferences to improve the care and management of captive bears around the world. Previously she was the Veterinary Director at the Animals Asia Foundation. In addition to her veterinary degree, she holds a BSc (Hons) in Conservation Medicine and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeon’s Postgraduate Certificate in Zoological Medicine.