Captive polar bear directory

Welcome to our Captive Polar Bear Directory.  Here you can access details of all known captive polar bears and the zoos where they are kept.

The directory lists 126 zoos, aquariums and parks (including one circus) known or believed to be keeping polar bears at present and 34 others planning to do so or to have done so in the recent past. 

115 of the facilities with bears already have reviews of their exhibits and husbandry.  During 2026 we will complete detailed entries for the remaining 11 facilities that currently house polar bears.

We have listed 286 captive polar bears; it is possible that there are others we are not yet aware of.  However, it is certain that some of the bears, probably at least seven, listed in China are brown bear / polar bear hybrids.  To date 109 of the bears have biographical pages (follow the links from the directory).  More will be added throughout 2026 and 2027, when all biographies should be completed.

• To read more on the basic welfare requirements for captive polar bears click here.

• In 2002 the Canadian Polar Bear Protection Act was enacted, the so called “Manitoba Standards”; download a copy here.

• You can download a copy of the 2018 International Studbook for Polar Bears from our server by clicking here (contains information submitted up to 30 June 2019).

• For information on polar bears that have died in captivity click here.

To access the full directory of captive polar bears and the zoos which house them, click on the country buttons below.