#bear pits

[pergx]

[pitspitspitspitspits]

[charlesreeza]

Bärengraben - The bear is the symbol of Bern, Switzerland, and since the early 16th century, brown bears have been kept in pits across the river from the Old Town. In 2009 the bears were given a 65,000 square foot forested park adjacent to the pits where they can romp around in a more natural environment.

Contrary to popular belief, the name of the city is not derived from the German word for bear (bär).  It was probably named after the Italian city of Verona, which at the time was known as Bern in Middle High German.

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

Other than the lack of enrichment, is there anything else wrong with the way those bear pits are set up? Safety issues, etc.?

They were generally built completely inappropriately for what we now understand bears need. Hard concrete floors instead of natural substrate, no caves to sleep in or places to hide because the bears were expected to be visible to the public, very little furniture to encourage natural behaviors, a lack of shade during the height of the day, nor shelter from from the elements, etc.

I don’t know enough to know how / if at all the oldest iconic pits were cleaned, or if the bears had any other place they were shifted out into. I don’t think they did. Which has a lot of husbandry implications.

Aside from that, the old bear pits rarely had any secondary containment fencing, so people could lean over / jump in / drop children in by accident, not to mention the ability to throw things to or at the bears.

Aesthetically, animals in pits is very antithetical to the mentality of modern zoos: while it may work to contain animals effectively, it connotes domination and lack of respect for them on the part of the zoo.

Bear pits are just all around an outdated design that we’re all glad to be rid of.

[pergx]

[pitspitspitspitspits]

[pitspitspitspitspits]

[pitspitspitspitspits]