Balu is a 2-year-old brown bear living on a property in Artashat, Armenia. Sadly, since the day she was born, all she knew was a life of misery.
Balu was living with a man who kept her in a tiny, dirty cage that was far too small for a bear of her size. In addition to the cramped living quarters, the brown bear also had a massive chain attached to a collar around her neck.
“The enclosure was no bigger than 4 or 5 square meters [43 to 53 square feet],” Lis Key, PR and communications manager for International Animal Rescue (IAR), the group that helped rescue Balu, told The Dodo. “There was no shelter from the elements. The enclosure was filthy. It’s unlikely that anyone ever cleaned it out, so poor Balu was living on mud, urine and feces. It must have smelt terrible.”
IAR teamed up with Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets and launched a project to rescue all captive bears across Armenia – this is how they caught wind of Balu.
The Great Bear Rescue project estimates that there are over 80 bears trapped in captivity in Armenia. They are often displayed in restaurants as attractions, a tourist photo opportunity, or hidden away in people’s homes and properties.
When the rescue group arrived at the property where Balu was being held, they were a bit puzzled as to why the man was keeping the bear in the first place. They assume it was most likely as a “trophy” or “status symbol”.
The rescue team immediately noticed that Balu was not getting the proper amount of food or water. In fact, they noticed that the owner had been feeding her soda and candy instead.
“The ‘owner’ was keeping her in shocking conditions of squalor and neglect — and yet he clearly thought those conditions were acceptable and saw no reason why the bear shouldn’t stay there,” Key said. “I imagine, too, that perhaps it was a matter of pride to him not to be forced to surrender his bear when so many people were watching.”
The Great Bear Rescue team argued with the man for a bit of time before they were able to convince him to surrender Balu. They immediately went to work on removing her from the property, so they sedated her and got her out of the filthy cage.
Removing the collar and chain from Balu’s neck was an emotional moment for the rescue team.
“The most emotional aspect of the rescue was the removal of the cruel collar and chain around Balu’s neck,” Key said. “That moment symbolized the end of her nightmare past and her first step towards the new life she deserves, free from cruelty and neglect and full of kindness and compassion.”
The beautiful brown bear is now in quarantine where she will undergo medical evaluation and get some much-needed food, water, and relaxation; she will remain in quarantine for approximately three weeks.
When Balu is released from quarantine, she will be moved to a bear sanctuary. The rescuers know she has a long road ahead of her, but they are hopeful that she will make a full recovery.
“We have not yet received a veterinary report on Balu, but I think, sadly, it’s fair to assume that her physical health will have been compromised by her time in captivity and her poor diet — not to mention her mental health which certainly has been affected by two years living in such shocking confinement,” Key said.
“On the plus side, she is still a young bear and we hope will recover from the terrible treatment she has suffered.”
Thanks to the amazing efforts by IAR, FPWC, and The Great Bear Rescue project, Balu’s life of misery is now over. Watch the video of her rescue below.
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