Tired (from driving all day long), excited (from finally being here), depressed (from seeing the deforestation and plantation), and a bad headache (from jet lack), we finally arrived at Sepilok. We were greeted by Audrey Low, Howard Jackson and Vuthy. Audrey and Howard is a husband and wife freelance film producer from Australia who will help us documented this historic event voluntarily. Vuthy is the project manager from Free the Bear Inc who manage the 105 rescued sun bears and moon bears in Cambodia, “Really thank you all for helping us!” follow by a big bear hugs pretty much summaries all the appreciation to these volunteers who travels tens of thousands of miles to help us . I did not see the bears until the next day because the bears do not wish to be disturbed after dark.
Our work did not end after we had our delicious home cooked dinner at Uncle Tan Jungle Lodge who feed us three meals a day for free. (Thank you so much Uncle Tan!). For four more hours until midnight, almost all of the managers of bear rescue centers in Asia were discussing and strategizing the best approaches of the bear moving and releasing in to the forest enclosures in our country style staff house. The results of the meeting were presented to the wildlife department’s veterinarian Dr. Cecelia Booklin and senior ranger Elis today.
The bear moving countdown has begun.