By Isle of Wight Observer
In May this year, the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, where I am the Chief Operating Officer, announced a bold and ambitious project to rescue two European brown bears, called Benji and Balu, from a life of misery in Azerbaijan.
The brothers, who are approximately 10 to 12 years old, were likely taken from the wild as cubs. They were discovered in a concrete cage at the side of a restaurant, severely malnourished and suffering from extensive physical injuries after a decade of living in confinement with only scraps of food to survive.
Unfortunately, their story is not unique. European brown bears have a long history of being abused for entertainment purposes, and they are also still exploited for their use in alternative medicine.
The Wildheart Animal Sanctuary believes that no animal should suffer at the hands of humans. That is why, when we heard about the plight of Benji and Balu, we launched an urgent appeal to rescue these bears and bring them to a safe, forever home on the Isle of Wight. But before we can bring Benji and Balu to the Island, we must raise £150,000 to build a new bear habitat in Sandown.
Benji and Balu were first discovered in concrete cages at the side of a restaurant by the charity, Bears in Mind. Although it is illegal to keep bears in this way, there are still many cases of mis-treatment, despite the best efforts of the Azerbaijani government. After complaints were made by local people; the brothers were moved to another site away from the restaurant.
However, the conditions they must endure are still awful – they are currently living in a small concrete cage with no space to run, swim, or hibernate, and they are not being fed an appropriate diet.
Anxiety and boredom have led to them being seen to chew on the bars of their cage. Sadly, this practice is common for bears kept in captivity, and “bar biting” often leads to psychological and physical issues. Balu has already had two of his teeth extracted due to the damage caused by chewing the bars.
The Wildheart team is desperate to rescue Benji and Balu from this miserable existence and put an end to their suffering. We have already held some fund-raising activities. Along with colleagues, I tackled the Three Peaks Challenge and this weekend two members of the London Penny Farthing Club cycled across the Island.
Once Benji and Balu arrive at the Sanctuary, the brothers will face a long road to recovery – both mentally and physically – and will likely display stereotypes such as pacing while they adjust to their new surroundings.
In their natural habitat, bears are known for roaming vast distances in their daily search for food. Benji and Balu do not have the necessary skills to be released back into the wild, but we have tasked ourselves with transforming a 3,500 square metre (37,677 square feet) area on our site into a space which will mimic the European wilderness. Their new home in Sandown will include woodland, marshland, rivers and caves – so that the brothers can feel grass under their feet, learn how to swim, and one day hibernate for the first time.
Thanks to the amazing public response to Benji and Balu’s story, over half of the funds needed for this project have already been raised. Work has begun on the new bear habitat, and visitors to the Sanctuary can see it taking shape. If you are able to help us rescue Benji and Balu from their lives of misery, please donate via iw.observer/benji-balu.