JUNE 2016 21 YEARS OF PROTECTING BEARS FREE THE BEARS NEWSLETTER BEARS’ PRINTINSIDE THIS ISSUE: SPOTLIGHT ON Super Vets FOCUS ON Illegal Trade in Bears within Laos FREE THE BEARS aims to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of bears throughout the world. MESSAGE FROM MARY Dear Members, Supporters and Friends, What better way could there be of marking the 21st birthday of our supporters to take on these attributes when trying to raise Free the Bears than declaring a whole year of celebrations under funds and awareness for our cause. Already we’ve had fun cocktail the banner “Bears Alive!” Since registering Free the Bears Fund evenings, labradors playing “bear pong” and a rain-lashed walk- in 1995 we have played a vital role in the rescue and care of a-thon as part of our Bears Alive! celebrations and there is much 900 bears and today more than 500 bears saved from snares, more to come. syndicates and soup-bowls are able to enjoy life in world-class sanctuaries built with your donations. Today these bears are not To all of our supporters who have already organised an event only alive - they are thriving! Each one has its own personal horror for Bears Alive! a most heartfelt THANK YOU. If you haven’t story to tell of how it was taken from the wild, how it most probably got anything planned just yet please do give some thought to saw its mother killed and how it suffered at the hands of its captors organising an event - 2016 promises to be our most challenging before it was rescued. We’re often asked by people to relate these year so far with major new sanctuary developments about to begin stories and we do so with mixed feelings. We know that we need in Vietnam and Laos. We really do need all the help we can get to to share what we have learned so that more people sit up and take raise the funds required for these desperately needed sanctuaries action to protect bears, however we do so with a sense of guilt that - each will cost almost $1million to build, staff and supply over the somehow we have inflicted a burden on the listener. They can next few years. This sum may sound daunting but it is a small price now no longer simply watch our bears playing without wondering to pay in order to offer these precious bears a lifeline - drawing what happened to them before they came into our care. They them out of the darkness and towards a bright new day. can now no longer appreciate them being “Bears Alive!” without contemplating what might have happened if they had not been As we approach the end of another financial year I do hope that rescued. you will lend us your support once again - remember that all donations over $2 are fully tax deductible in Australia. It is only with Fortunately our rescued bears do their very best to not dwell on your help that we will be able to continue to offer a safe home for the past and embrace every moment of their new lives. One need bears in need across Asia and look towards the day when there are only spend ten minutes wandering around our sanctuaries to see no more horror stories to tell, just Bears Alive! in the forests where ample evidence of the bears’ ability to bounce back and grab they belong. each day with both paws. It is no coincidence that the character of Baloo in the Jungle Book films is portrayed as patient, fun-loving With much love and bear hugs, and strong - these are defining characteristics of all bears. Whilst Mary our work to protect the bears is deadly serious we also encourage A year’s worth of Entertainment! The 2016/2017 Entertainment Books are on sale now, packed with thousands of dollars worth of discount vouchers. Best of all, 20% of the sale price is donated to Free the Bears! Books can be ordered for any state in Australia. Order yours today at https://www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks/8355p5 page 02 UPDATES Cambodia Rescue 192 meets 189 in the Cub Nursery FROM THE FIELD CAMBODIA The rainy season came late to Cambodia this year and the stifling heat of the dry season caused forest fires across the country, devastating large areas of natural habitat for many species. At the Cambodian Bear Sanctuary the prolonged dry season caused the main lake to run dry for the first time in recent history. Extra pumps were purchased to bring vital water supplies up to the sanctuary and staff and volunteers battled with fires sporadically threatening the protected forest. At our oasis in the heat, the Bear Quarantine and Nursery welcomed three new arrivals. In February, a young female Sun bear, Cambodia Rescue 191, was rescued from Ratanakiri province in the far northeast of the country. Bizarrely, the cub had Finally, a tiny Sun bear cub – again from the northeast of been imprisoned in an actual jail used for the detention of human Cambodia – was rescued in May. Weighing only 1.8kg, she was prisoners. She had been a gift to the head of the police unit thin and emaciated when rescued from hunters attempting to sell about six months prior and with nowhere to keep her she was her. The Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team travelled overnight driving incarcerated. She had coped relatively well despite being taken slowly and making sure that she had enough rest on the arduous from her mother at such a young age and was soon flourishing journey to the sanctuary. You can read more on her story by in the Cub Nursery with all the new enrichment toys and healthy visiting our website and following the links to the News section food. from our home page. A young Moon bear cub from the west of the country joined While our Cub Care Crew was once again inundated, work didn’t Rescue 191 at the Cub Nursery not long after; another tiny victim ease up in other parts of the sanctuary either. A visit by our of the illegal trade in wildlife. Cambodia Rescue 192 was rescued Veterinary Advisor Kirsty Officer and Trustee Dr. Jon Cracknell from traders who were selling her most likely for the bile trade. kept the vet team on their toes as a new round of health checks Once again a member of the public chose to purchase and then were initiated and plans drawn up for health screening protocols donate the cub to the sanctuary; a worrying trend that we have to ensure the long term safety of this important population of noticed is on the rise. As well meaning as this gesture is, it does bears. Jon has long been a supporter of Free the Bears, and drive the demand for more cubs to be taken from their forest his skills in this area of our work are vital to the success of our home. veterinary health programme. Our Bear Care Crew benefitted from a weeklong workshop on operant conditioning, enrichment and animal welfare thanks to a training grant given by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Matt O’Leary, Specialist Keeper from ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in the UK, reviewed our existing programmes whilst providing a mix of theory and practical instruction to 15 staff from the bear team as well as other animal sections of Phnom Tamao. The education team was busy too with renovations being made to the Home of the Wild Things play area, an interactive section of the sanctuary where children (and young adults!) can learn all about important native species in a play-based manner. We were delighted to host Celine and Anthony, two eco-volunteers who are traveling the globe in a converted 4WD investing their time and energy in projects that will make a difference. Their project Around the Rock has taken them on a journey of a lifetime and we were pleased that they were able to apply their unique skills to improving this part of the sanctuary. Cambodia Rescue 193 on arrival at our sanctuary page 03 UPDATES FROM THE FIELD LAOS The year 2015 was a record-breaker for our programme in Laos with eight bears rescued and higher numbers of visitors passing through our sanctuary at Tat Kuang Si than ever before. Sadly 2016 has shows no signs of slowing down, with record numbers of bear cubs being traded and reported to our team by the growing number of people who recognise the insidious threat that the illegal wildlife trade poses to these animals. We follow-up on every single report and share the details as quickly as possible with our government partners - however it is inevitable that not every case has The only way is up for our bears in Laos - with more bears coming into a happy ending and often the cubs our care and no room for expansion at Tat Kuang Si we’re having to disappear before the relevant authorities investigate all options for the bears! are able to act. regularly consulting with our government With both cubs safely loaded onto the Fortunately for three lucky Moon bear colleagues to see if bears could be B.E.A.R-mobile our team made a quick cubs action came quick enough - in rescued. We knew of one cub being kept diversion back to the office to collect an fact for two of the trio it came before in a small cage behind a garage on the extra transport cage and then headed we were even aware of their plight! We outskirts of Luang Prabang and so when out to the garage to rescue the little had been tracking a number of cases the local Forestry office chief called our male cub.