What's a Polar Bear Doing in the Tropics? - Animal Concerns ...

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the pool area. However, theeffectiveness of these fans isquestionable. They are relativelysmall and the mist only seems toeffectively reach the pool area. Thefans were recommended only toprovide short-term relief and airconditioningshould still beinstalled. 18While air-conditioned dens in theback area of the enclosure areprovided to the polar bears, the densare incredibly small. 10If the male bear lies down sprawledon his belly on the floor of his den,he will fill the whole space. 10 If hechooses to enter the air-conditioneddens, he will therefore be confinedto an extremely small area. If heremains in the open-air enclosure, hewill suffer from heat stress.Therefore, either way, he will beuncomfortable.Methods by which polar bears cancool down but not provided for atSingapore ZooPolar bears can weather the heat bydigging deep day beds in the soiluntil they reach the permafrost.These day beds are often shaded bylong grasses and hummocky terrain. 10They may also take mud and dustbaths to cool down. 48Wild polar bears may jump into thecold Arctic Ocean to cool off ifoverheating. 20Wild polar bears will also balanceenergy expenditure and food intaketo regulate their bodytemperature. 48However, the polar bears atSingapore Zoo cannot dig day beds,jump into ice cold waters nor choosethe food they eat.A pool is provided for the bears, however, the temperature of the water isnot cold enough (17 degrees Celsius) for these Arctic animals (sub-zerotemperatures). Sea water in the Arctic seas remains at around -20°C all yearround. 50Sheba was born in a German zoo and came to Singapore as a cub and Inukawas born in Singapore, therefore it is true that neither bear has experiencednatural Arctic conditions. However, this does not mean that the bearshave become physically ‘adapted’ to the climate in Singapore. They stillpossess all the physiological adaptations to life in the Arctic.Polar bears cannot simply “adapt” to life in an unnatural climate in a shortspace of time (although they can modify their behaviour). Adaptation isdefined as an “evolutionary process involving genetic change by which apopulation becomes fitted to its prevailing environment”. 52 Evolutionaryprocesses, by definition, require the accumulation of genetic differencesover long periods of time.What’s a polar bear doing in the tropics?30www.acres.org.sg
The welfare implications of keeping polar bears in unsuitable climates washighlighted in 2001, when there was international outrage at the conditionsof polar bears being kept at a circus in Puerto Rico. The conditions the bearswere kept in were judged “inhumane”: “The polar bears were kept intropical heat of as much as 112°F (44.4 o C), often without air-conditioning oraccess to pools of cold water”. 53 The polar bears were subsequentlyconfiscated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. When commenting on thecase, Dr. Naomi Rose, Humane Society of the United States marine mammalscientist, noted that the bears were "forced to live in the most unnaturalconditions. In the Arctic, air temperatures rarely exceed 65°F in thesummer, and water temperatures always hover around freezing. In thewinter temperatures dip well below zero. Even in this natural environment,overheating can be a serious concern for polar bears, especially if they exertthemselves. Forcing these bears to perform tricks in tropical conditionsplaces them at risk of overheating and suffering collapse." 53What’s a polar bear doing in the tropics?31www.acres.org.sg
Page 16 and 17: animal is diving. They also eat car
Page 18 and 19: individual’s own choices. This ab
Page 20 and 21: Following his investigations into t
Page 22 and 23: What’s a polar bear doing in the
Page 24 and 25: Accommodation20 All animal accommod
Page 26 and 27: Table 3.1 Categories of behaviours
Page 28 and 29: TABLE 3.5 Lying flat behaviour prof
Page 30 and 31: 3.2.1 Adaptation to Arctic coldPola
Page 32 and 33: 3.2.2 Reasons for panting and lying
Page 34 and 35: 3.2.3 Heat stress experienced in Si
Page 38 and 39: 3.2.4 Algal growth in furInuka cove
Page 42 and 43: Table 4.1 Categories of behaviours
Page 44 and 45: TABLE 4.4 Activity pattern of Sheba
Page 46 and 47: TABLE 4.6 Abnormal behaviour profil
Page 48 and 49: 4.2.1 Prevalence of abnormal stereo
Page 50 and 51: to more space, a more complex, quie
Page 52 and 53: Guidelines and LegislationsGuidelin
Page 54 and 55: equirements stated in the Province
Page 56 and 57: problem with these old designs is t
Page 58 and 59: SubstrateThe polar bear enclosure d
Page 60 and 61: In the 2004 report, Acresrecommende
Page 62 and 63: FurnitureThe enclosure does not pro
Page 64 and 65: Private areasThe lack of private ar
Page 66 and 67: 5.1.2 Problems in husbandryUse/acce
Page 68 and 69: At a workshop on the Behavioural Ne
Page 70 and 71: disintegrating objects in an enclos
Page 72 and 73: interesting. At no time were the be
Page 74 and 75: 5.2.3 Condition of teeth 10Sheba ha
Page 76 and 77: demonstrating species-appropriate b
Page 80 and 81: Today there is just one polar bear
Page 84 and 85: Providing natural substrates in enc
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Stimulating olfactory and rubbing b
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What’s a polar bear doing in the
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Singapore Zoo states that they are
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22. Wood, D. 1995. Bears. Whitecap
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66. Baars, D. and Weegenaar, A. 199
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APPENDIX I: GUIDELINES FOR ENCLOSUR
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• For polar bears the ratio of wa
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APPENDIX IV: GUIDELINES FOR SUBSTRA
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APPENDIX VI: GUIDELINES FOR PRIVATE
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• Environmental enrichment should
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