STATUS OF BEAR WELFARE

Status of Bear Welfare in Cherokee, North Carolina
DEFICIENCY REPORT
OVERVIEW
We find that, in our decades of experience working with captive bears and/or examining zoos
around the world, the enclosures for captive bears at Cherokee’s Chief Saunooke Bear Park
(CSBP), Cherokee Bear Zoo (CBZ), and Santa’s Land (SL) ranked among the worst we have
encountered.
The facilities failed to provide for the basic, essential needs of bears in captivity, including proper
enclosure design, appropriate daily husbandry, seasonal husbandry, environmental enrichment,
and veterinary care. There were no enrichment, dietary, or husbandry changes to mitigate the
inhumane conditions of the concrete pit enclosure design or the undersize cages.
When considering what is spatially appropriate for wild animals in captivity, three questions
should be asked. First, how much space do animals need in order to express natural movement
and behavior Clearly, at the Cherokee zoos, the answer is far more than what has been
provided. Second, how much space do animals need to feel safe and secure Again, the answer
at the three Cherokee facilities is more than has been provided. Third, what are the
consequences of not providing enough space The negative consequences of providing too little
space are clear when one looks at the activity budgets and behavior of the Cherokee zoo bears.
The key problems in all the enclosures were the following:
• simplistic, inappropriate enclosure design
• lack of space
• hard substrates (concrete, hardpan)
• no functional structural enhancements or furnishings
• no tactile, sensory, or cognitive enrichment
• poor use of vertical space
• inadequate shelter
• no privacy opportunities
• intraspecific competition/aggression
• inappropriately positioned visitor viewing stations
• uncontrolled public feeding
In all likelihood, the condition of the bear housings at the three facilities is a result of one or a
combination of the following factors:
• The designer had no knowledge of the biology, behavior, ecology, and lifestyles of bears.
• The present structures are inexpensive to construct.
• They are easy to clean and require little maintenance.
• They provide clear and unobstructed animal viewing at any time.
No effort had been made to utilize the vertical dimension in any of the various enclosures. The
introduction of climbing apparatus, platforms, log piles, branches, and hammocks would greatly
AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT OF CHIEF SAUNOOKE BEAR PARK, CHEROKEE BEAR ZOO, AND SANTA’S LAND | 15