Bearing Through It All

Text by Grace Cheong Wei Yen
Photos by Grace Cheong Wei Yen & Chiew Lin May

Time flies when you have a good time, and it seems that all too soon, I have reached the end of my three week long volunteering period. It was not always smooth sailing, but the staff were always there to assist me in whatever ways possible whenever I needed any help. From preparing food for the bears while keeping in mind the ever-changing releases to carrying out enrichment or even cleaning the smelly cages, I have learned so much more about these vulnerable and valuable bears. They are a part of our future, no matter how unrelated they may seem. 

Personally, I feel that this experience has opened my eyes to how much work it actually requires to take care of human beings, and how much more these bears need! Coming from an Asian background, the concept of filial piety is constantly reinforced, and now I truly realize how much effort my parents have put into raising me. Besides that, I have been privileged to have a first-hand experience of taking care of the sun bears which are endemic to Borneo only, a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Furthermore, there is no such satisfaction as witnessing a bear finally succeed in doing something that you had a part in!

Of course, one cannot forget about the close bonds formed with the other keepers, volunteers and staff. We have shared so much laughter and many stories, whether it is over a steaming hot local meal or while working. With them, there has never been a dull moment at the bear house. They also provided me with the encouragement to keep on going, no matter how tired I am. Somehow, we all manage to find common threads within our stories even though we originate from different places, making the laughter that is shared and memories that are created even more precious. They have become my “family” throughout this whole time, never failing to ensure that I’m constantly doing well, bringing me out for grocery shopping and sharing tips as well as extra facts about bear care. It doesn’t matter what activity we carry out, whether it is a health check or even enrichment, good teamwork has been proven to make a tiring task into an exciting activity.

So if you are seeking to escape the busy city life or to explore your interest in wildlife, or even carry out an internship as part of your program, then this is the place to be! Never mind all the bugs, this is a rare chance to catch a glimpse of other animal species endemic to Borneo like the sacred kingfisher and rhinoceros hornbill, or even Asian pygmy elephants! If I had the chance or time to come back a second time, I definitely would not hesitate.