Food abundance, delivery schedules, and other external factors affect animal behavior in zoos, especially species like bears which forage for food most of their day. Therefore, to enhance welfare, animals need to be active in ecologically relevant ways, i.e., ‘work for their food’ .

In this study, we will explore the ‘next steps’ in bear care by examining the effects of adding increasingly complex enrichment, provided to sun bears (Helarctos malayanus) at Oakland Zoo.