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Video by Chiew Lin May “And soon there will be here - taking first steps into true FREEDOM!” The bears have blossomed into the wild bears they were meant to be! Here Sunbearo and Loki take you on a journey to release into their protected forest. It was encouraged to see how they take a huge step to begin their new life. Wishing them well on their journey to freedom! Sun bears release program are very costly. Please support and help us give sun bears a second chance at a life in the wild. We are incredibly grateful for the support from our supporters, volunteers for always be there for making sun bears return to the wild. Background music by Really Slow Motion: 1) Restoring Hope https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYL9k... 2) Riding the Light https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUPfa... To read more about Sunbearo & Loki release back to the wild, kindly visit: https://www.bsbcc.org.my/bear-talk-bl...
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Video by Chiew Lin May No doubt, he has been taken from his mother to be illegally displayed at Mini Zoo and spend his life in captivity. The trauma these little ones go through is heartbreaking to see. After 6 years of the rehabilitation process, it is amazing to see Sunbearo develop the vital survival skills necessary for life in the forest. He now ready to live a life of freedom that he truly deserves! Due to the pandemic, Sunbearo and his friends had been rescheduled to be released back into the wild next year. But with your support, our ultimate goal to return them to their forest home keeps it going. You can help return them to safe forests, where they should belong. For them, everything is about to change. Sunbearo needs YOU! Please donate today to support the bear release programme: Accounts Name: Sun Bear Conservation Berhad Bank's Name : Public Bank Berhad Account No. : 3195054919 SWIFT Code : PBBEMYKL Bank's Address : Lots 149, 150, 151, & 152, Block 15A, Phase II, Prima Square, Mile 4, Jalan Utara, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia. Contact number: +6089 202288 or +6016 5551256 (Dr. Wong Siew Te) Click here to learn more about the smallest bear - http://www.bsbcc.org.my Find us: Website: https://www.bsbcc.org.my/ Subscribe to the newsletter: http://www.bsbcc.org.my/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunbear.bsbcc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsbcc Twitter: https://twitter.com/BSBCC_Sunbear Background music: https://youtu.be/aeSOVhSZhxc Video by Chiew Lin May In the hot and humid tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, sun bears love spending time sunbathing in the sun's ray, like Sunbearo here - his favourite pastime in BSBCC. Sun bear has a short, sleek, and black coat. Their tick coat maybe looks absorb the heat but it protects them from insects and dirt. The fact that they enjoy sunbathing is why they got the name "Sun Bear"! Click here to learn more about Sun Bear - http://www.bsbcc.org.my To donate - https://www.bsbcc.org.my/donate.html Find us: Website: http://www.bsbcc.com Subscribe to the newsletter: http://www.bsbcc.org.my/newsletter Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunbear.bsbcc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsbcc Twitter: https://twitter.com/BSBCC_Sunbear Video by Chiew Lin May Music I am Happy by AShamaluevMusic The best things in life are FREEDOM Smile, Hug, Friends and Love Text by Chiew Lin May Photos by Seng Yen Wah & Chiew Lin May On January 10th, 2014 a six month old, male sun bear cub (Rescue No-37), was rescued from a Mini Zoo and Hot Springs in Tawau, South Eastern Sabah. Sunbearo arrived to BSBCC from Lok Kawi Zoo on the 10th of March 2014  Sunbearo was rescued by Sabah Widllife Department when he was just a little six months old. He was rescued from a pet trade. Thin and dehydrated. His life at the Tawau Hot Spring was spent in a confinement cage. Like so many other rescued sun bears, his mother had been killed and he had been taken from the forest. Based on his teeth and malnourished appearance, it was likely he was being fed the wrong diet. His weight during the arrival was 11.6kg. Originally he was known as Tan Sri, which was the name of his owner from the Mini Zoo and Hot Spring in Tawau. Sunbearo is a special sun bear cub and has been adopted and re-named by Neways International (Australia) Pty. Huge thanks to the support from Neways International (Australia) Pty, which enables us to protect Sunbearo.  In the tiny cage where he endured a lifetime of mistreatment and wrong diet that cause poor physical condition. Sunbearo has a beautiful tiny crescent sun in the shape of a “V” on his chest!  During his arrival, Sunbearo has one of the beautiful tiny crescent suns with a “V” shape on his chest!  First taste of favourite papaya! He was placed into quarantine before being introduced to the other cubs of his own age.  This life of freedom is perfect for this little bear. He seemed very fragile as his muscles were not strong due to his tiny size, and he was nervous when it came to climbing. The bear care team gives him and his friends a chance to play in their dens. He was given new enrichment toys and a healthy diet.  After much love and care by our bear team, Sunbearo eventually learnt to adapt to a life of bear and slowly has pt the past behind him. He quickly adapted to his new home where he has become more trusting and relishes every fresh fruit. HONEY is not an exception!!  He quickly adapted to his new home where he became more trusting and relishing every fresh fruits. HONEY is not exception!! On the 24th of April 2014, Sunbearo and Loki were integrated for the first time.  On 24th April 2014, Sunbearo and Loki were integrating for the first time.  The two rescued sun bears were playing together like loving siblings.  The two rescued sun bears were playing together like loving siblings. He slowly started to build trust with the bears and learnt that bears can be great friends. Loki, Bintang, Montom, Susie2, Damai and Kala are Sunbearo’s bear play friends. They love playing with each other.  Big dens full of different types of enrichment where they will learn how to forage for food and climbing skills.  These enrichment activities are all designed to keep the rescued bears mentally stimulated.   Sunbearo will find her best pal, Loki to suckle for comfort and bear chat. He enjoys having friends to share freedom experiences with. Slowly, he has put his past behind him and is learning to be a wild bear again. A shining start to the day! On the 28th of December 2015, Sunbearo had finally overcome his fear and took his first step out on the forest soil.  Experience as wild bear where he will making his way to the forest! It is a great pleasure to see the first glimpses of these rescued sun bears stepping out to forest for their first time! Sunbearo sniffed around the tall trees.  Brave Sunbearo learning to climb tree branches at the BSBCC.  He immediately made friends and quickly ready to explore their his new homes as soon as possible.  It was delight that found Sunbearo climb up high into the tree canopy and forage for his food treats as if he had not care in the world.  Best day spend at the comfortable hammock. He knew that he deserved a better chance to express his natural behavior and learn how to become a wild bear.  He knows that he deserved better chance to express his natural behavior and learn become a wild bear. He is now outside foraging, climbing and enjoying himself. He loves the opportunity and uses all his senses to forage in the soil!  He is now outside foraging, climbing and enjoying himself. He loves the opportunity using all his senses to forage soil! Sun bears are the arboreal bear and spend their time in trees. Sunbearo and Montom will immediately climb up and wrestle on top of the trees.  Sun bears are the arboreal bear and spend their time in trees. Sunbearo and Montom will immediately climbing up and wrestling top of the tree. His long, sickle curved claws will help him in climbing trees and scraping off tree barks for termites.  By using his long and sickle curved claws that will help in climb trees and scrape off tree barks for termites. He has a strong, close bond with Loki. Sunbearo and Loki can be found loving hanging out and spending time up in the trees, watching everything going on around them.  Sunbearo developed a very close bond with female bear Loki.  Sunbearo and Loki loves to play and climbs everyday in forest.  They love to explore and climb the highest trees! After four years of undergoing rehabilitation at our centre, Sunbearo has grown in size, skill and confidence.  After four years undergoing rehabilitation at our centre, Sunbearo have grown in size, skill and confidence. He is a fussy eater.   Sunbearo is very interest in digging, sometimes for termites but often just for fun! If there are special sweet treats in the enclosure, Sunbearo usually hoovers everything up and licks every last bit of honey without wasting it! Around feeding time at the bear house, he can often be found growling for food. But most of all, he just loves foraging for extra protein.  If have special sweet treats at the enclosure, Sunbearo usually hovered everything up and licking every last bit of honey without wasted it!  He can often be found like to growl for food. In regards to nest building, we have not seen any tree nest building behavior from him. He will stay a while in a nest built by Loki or Damai.  In nest building, we have not found any tree nest building behavior from him. He will borrow to stay a while the nest build by Loki or Damai. Sunbearo is doing better and is enjoying life in a natural forest.  Cheeky Sunbearo basking in the suns rays!  Sunbearo gazes skywards as he climbs to tree tops.  Sunbearo spends enjoying himself or relaxing in forest.  He shows off his impressive climbing skills!  He will be free to forage for food, explore and learn to live as wild bear.  Sunbearo is no longer alone. He able to play fight, learn survival skills and hang out together with other bears.  Thank you for helping to give bears like Sunbearo a second chance to live a happy and freedom bear life.  He is happy returned to the forest where he belongs.  Sunbearo is no longer alone. He able to play fight, learn survival skills and hang out together with other bears. It is amazing to see a sun bear that was literally suffering from pet trade now looking healthy, free from pain and enjoying life as a sun bear. Sun bears are threatened in Southeast Asia by rapid poaching, illegal wildlife trade and habitat destruction. Please help us fight to free the bears from their major threats. The exploitation of the greed towards this little known bear species must end.  Best way to start day out to forest !! We caught Sunbearo resting in his favourite comfy spot !! He greatly deserves this! We need to protect sun bear habitat, fights poaching and bear trade throughout Southeast Asia. Interested in learning more about sun bear and how you can help? Check out our website at http://www.bsbcc.org.my/ Text and Photos by Seng Yen Wah  There are no words that can tell how much I love to walk in the forest in the sun. Every bear carries different baggage arriving to BSBCC. But they learn everything necessary from the beginning in the forest enclosure with their friends. In nature, sun bear cubs stay with their mothers until they two to three years old. When people take cubs away from their mothers, they also take away their chance of learning the survival skills from their mothers as well. If people only keep them as a pet in a small cage, they can never learn what they need to survive in the wild. This is the reason why our integration program becomes so important for the bears. The best enrichment for a bear is another bear. When they spend their time with their friends, they can learn relevant skills from them. Besides that, socialization can help to reduce bears stereotypical behavior. The forest enclosure provides them with a natural environment and enough space where they can explore with lots of activities, such as foraging, digging, climbing and play fight with each other.  Loki, you see I found a watermelon here and lots of delicious fruits. –Sunbearo  You got one and I got one too.  There is no one to disturb our nap time. Sun bears are the smallest bears among the bear species. But, they have the longest tongue amongst their peers. Their tongue is about 25cm to 30cm long. They not only use their long tongue to lick the honey out of bee nests, but also eat small insects found in decayed wood, such as ants and termites. By using their long tongue, they can reach the deep inside of bee nests or decayed wood to get themselves lots of yummy treats. Sun bears have a keen olfactory sense. In order to encourage them to utilize their sense of smell, food is scattered around in the forest enclosures by bear keepers. This will encourage them to do more foraging. In the forest enclosure, they can also forage for the small insects.  Let me use my sense of smell to find the small insects for my yummy snack.  I think I found a small insect in the dead wood. Sun bears have very strong canines and sharp claws. They are the excellent climbers. With the help of their curved shape claws, the can climb up trees reaching to 60m heights. Sun bears are the arboreal animals. They climb up on trees for sunbathing and resting. Besides that, there are using their claws for tearing apart the dead wood to get their important source of protein, the small insects as well.  These leaves smell good!!  Opps, my belly.  Let me do some exercise.  Should I climb up higher?  I think I need to take a rest first.  You see how I’m using my canines to bite on the tree branch.  I got busy foraging here. Sun bears are a forest dependent species. The expertise of sun bears in their habitat makes them survive in the wild. However, poaching issues are still threatening their survival even though sun bears are a totally protected species under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment of 1997. Poachers are continuously hunting them illegally for consumption, medicine or decorative purposes. Please save the sun bears. They deserve to stay in the wild free and happy. Thank you!  Please save the sun bears. Text by Seng Yen Wah Photos by Chiew Lin May  Tan-Tan was bought by a person with the purpose of rescuing her from being sold in the remote region of Paitan. After the person bought Tan-Tan, he informed the Sabah Wildlife Department and the Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit sent her to BSBCC on August 5th, 2015. On the other hand, Boboi and Kitud were kept together in a cage before they were handed over to the Sabah Wildlife Department in Singgaron Village, Ranau district. They were originally from Pitas, Sabah and only arrived at BSBCC on October 30th, 2015. Boboi, Kitud and Tan-Tan stayed together in quarantine. Boboi is like a big brother that always backs up Kitud and Tan-Tan. Tan-Tan is the little one. She likes to follow behind Kitud so that she can get more comfort. If Boboi and Kitud are not around her, she will seek for them. Kitud is dominant, even though her size is not as big as Boboi. But, she always leads them to take an adventure with her. After the health check, they were moved from quarantine to the bear house. This was the time for them to meet the sub-adult group.   The sub-adult group and also the big group was very welcoming for them to join as new members. The sub-adult group members included Sunbearo, Loki, Ronnie Girl, Momtom, Damai, Susie2, Mary and Kala. They were playing well together, even though Kitud and Tan-Tan have a smaller body size than them. Here we have a little warm story about Tan-Tan and Susie2. Susie2 had trauma with her early life. This made Susie2 avoid herself from others. But, little sweet Tan-Tan would approach her and follow her when she met Susie2. She would accompany her silently from behind. Momtom and Sunbearo, the big brothers and Mary, Loki and Ronnie Girl, the big sisters, have shown more interest to play with them. Damai has no interest to play with them. She prefers to stay in the hammock and when they try to disturb her, she will give them warning. Also, the way that Kala played was too rough for them. But they did not have serious aggression with each other. And now, they can share a cage and stay with the sub-adult group.       Before they went back to the forest, they had to go through fence training. Fence training is a training to let the bears know that the hot wire may zap them if they get too close to it.This is because all the forest enclosures are surrounded by hot wire. These three little bears are full of courage. From the first day they got zapped, they climbed on the electric fence and began barking. Now, they can move freely between the buffer cage and training pen. They even can play fight in the training pen. Most of the bears do not like the training pen. This is because every bear has been zapped in here before. But, not for Boboi, Kitud and Tan Tan. From the first week, the three of them almost had been zapped everyday. But, they never gave up learning. After that, Tan-Tan knew to use her claws to get the food that was near the hot wire without getting zapped. Once one of them knew how, the rest of them would learn from her. After 20 days of training, they finally passed.       The day came! Once the guillotine door opened, their first actions were sniffing the surroundings and looking outside at the forest. They tapped on the ramp just like they were testing whether the ramp was safe for them or not. There was lots of tasty treats, fruits and honey on the ramp. They slowly stepped out and saw the outside world. Kitud was the bravest bear among them. She was the first who touched the ground. Tan-Tan followed Kitud back. When Kitud and Tan-Tan took their first steps outside, Boboi was looking at them through the guillotine door. He went in between the buffer cage and training pen, and tried to find a way out with different styles. After 20 minutes he struggled and he finally joined them in the forest. They explored the forest together. When they met with others, they’d play fight with them as well. Now they enjoy to stay in the forest. Once the guillotine door opens, they just go out and take their adventures all day long in either pen C or pen D with their big brothers and sisters. Let’s see how they enjoy life in the forest.                                  Watching Boboi, Kitud and Tan-Tan growing healthy and adapting well in the forest is undoubtedly one of our greatest pleasure. They will never again live in fear and well entitled to do anything they love!
Text by Seng Yen Wah Photos by Chiew Lin May  Kala is a one year old, female bear. She is at BSBCC because her previous owner surrendered her to the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit with the intention to save her after they found her on Kalabakan-Sapulut Road near Meliau Basin. Kala got to walk in the forest with a bear keeper when she was still a cub. However, it had been a while since Kala had experienced the forest. Walking a cub is not an easy task. The task becomes harder while the cub is growing up because they can be very hard to control. Now, Kala is growing well. Hence, there is no more need for her to walk with a bear keeper. But this does not mean that she will not go back into the forest anymore. Fence training is a very important step before the bears can go out to the forest enclosure. This is because the forest enclosure is surrounded with high voltage hot wire. The hot wire is to prevent the bears escaping from the forest enclosure.  In the beginning, we made a food trail for Kala and encouraged her out to the training pen. The training pen was a strange place for her and hence why we prepared lots of food and her favourite, honey, to encourage her. She was doing well. After that we scattered food near the fence and observed how she responded with the hot wire. Unsurprisingly, she was zapped by the hot wire. After she had been zapped, she ran back to her cage and did not going to the training pen anymore. After a few tries, she became alert when she went inside the training pen. She knew that once she was too close and accidently touched the hot wire she would get a zap. Hence, she kept a distance with the hot wire. Besides that, she knows how to avoid being zapped by the hot wire. She was using her claws to grab the food near the fence. When she was able to walk in between the buffer cage and training pen with confidence, this meant that she had passed her fence training.  After fence training, it was time for her to go back to the forest. In order to encourage Kala out to the forest enclosure, we prepared an attractive food trail on a ramp. Once the guillotine door opened, Kala showed her curiosity with the new environment. She sniffed the guillotine door and the ramp first. Then she took a look at the outside and sniffed the forest.  Smells are different here. When she was trying to grab the food on the ramp, she placed a front leg out and then both front legs touched the ramp. But, her two hind legs were still inside the cage. She was trying so hard to get the food on the ramp. Once she grabbed the food, she brought it inside and ate it in the cage.  Let me think a while. Hmm.. In or Out?  Tasty and juicy fruits on the ramp and that are why I am here. After days passed, there was a sunny day on the 6thof June. When Kala tried to grab the food on the ramp, the ramp was too slippery and she slipped on to the ground.  I am on the ground. After she touched the ground, the very first thing she did was explore the environment. She walked and sniffed around the forest enclosure. There were lots of things that attracted her attention, soils, trees that she had not seen for a while. When she saw the trees, she climbed up them. When she saw soil, she started digging it. There are lots of activities that she can do in the forest enclosure. She spends her days in there.  This is my dream land, the forest.  Tree, I love trees.  What’s that on the ground?  I’m tearing off a big dead wood.  Here got a big tree.  Yeah, I am climbing up on a tree.  Let me enjoy this beautiful sunlight.  I got a bit sleepy now. Soil is her favourite enrichment since she was small. She’s smelt, touched and tasted the soil. Even when she feels tired, she lays on the soil and continues to play with it.  This is my soils. Friends are so important for humans and also for bears. Kala joined a big family with Sunbearo, Loki, Ronnie Girl, Momtom, Susie2 and Damai. They encouraged her when she went to the training pen and also back to the forest as well. And now, Kala can learn survival skills from her friends such as foraging and digging in the forest. They love playing and enjoying the natural environment together. Sometimes they play fight with each other and sometimes they forage together. In the forest Kala learns and plays with her friends and the most important thing is that she is happy.  What are you doing out there, Loki?  I should learn from Susie2 that how she foraging. Text by Seng Yen Wah (Intern Student from University Malaysia Sabah) Photos by Chiew Lin May Kala was bought by a person who with the intention of saving cub on Kalabakan-Sapulut Road near Maliau Basin and then the owner surrendered her to the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit. When she arrived at the BSBCC, she was weak. This may cause by the early separation of Kala and her mother. A small cub usually will stay with her mother until 2 to 3 years old. What is the reason will cause a mother to separate with her own cub when they are still in a very young age? The answer is, they had been killed by poachers in order to poach the cute bear cubs. We will say that, the overload cuteness of bear cubs is a horrible curse for them. Kala may have a horrific early life, but now she is growing up and starting her new happy life in BSBCC.  " HELLO" - Kala and Ronnie Kala used to stay with our other sun bear cubs Boboi, Tan-Tan and Kitud. However the way Kala played made her little to no friends and the other little bears did not like to play with her. After Kala moved from the quarantine to bear house, she had to stay alone. And in order to find some companions for Kala, bear keepers were trying to integrate Kala with our sub-adult group, the bears Sunbearo, Loki, Ronnie Girl, Montom, Susie2 and Damai.  " I see you" - Kala  "Let me get closer" - Kala The integration between Kala and the sub-adult group was closely monitored to see whether Kala could be integrated with this group or not. If one of the bears in sub-adult group could not be integrated well with Kala, it usually means the integration within the entire group does not work. One has to bear in mind the integration is not simply putting bears together, it is also depended on their age, weight and sex. Their age and weight have to be similar, if not the worst case scenario would be the smaller bear could be injured or during the integration. Moreover, if the condition of any bear is of lesser healthy, the integration may have to be halted to prevent the spread of disease etc. that may cause other bears illnesses eventually.  " Can I come and play with you?" -Kala  " I’m ready to play! " - Ronnie Starting any integration, 30 minutes of time spent together is seen as the limit. Later, if they play well with each other, the time of the integration periods can be extended. During the integration, bear keepers have to observe and if needed step in. Before any integration starts, at least 2 buckets of water and a fire extinguisher are ready and prepared in close proximity of the observing bear keepers. So, in case of any aggression, the bear keeper can step in and use the water or fire extinguisher to separate the aggressive bears or stop aggressive behavior. If the situation becomes worse a loud horn can also be used but we see this as a matter of last resort because the sound might cause other bears distress. The ultimate separation tool in any case of aggression is the use of a water jet to separate them. All actions during the integration sessions are carefully recorded by observers in an integration form.  " Why don’t you see my canine? " - Sunbearo  " See my canine !" - Montom The integration for Kala is having an additional purpose, which is let Kala learn and eventually know how to play with other bears. Most of the time, Kala is the one who first enters to other bears cage. She loves to play by moving backwards without looking who she is actually with. And Kala is a very playful bear, she likes to play fight, to chase and run after other bears. However to be honest, Kalas play is really rough, she often paws and snaps after other bears. And hence, Montom, Ronnie Girl, Sunbearo and Susie2 reacted aggressive when they played with Kala during the very first days. The good news is, they are getting to know Kala better after they met for few times, at lately no more aggressive behavior was shown.  Please do not disturb, we are playing well here. - Loki and Kala Montom and Loki are the ones who always approach Kala. Both of them have showed much more interest in playing with Kala. Sunbearo plays with Kala too, but not as much as Montom and Loki do. On the other side, Kala always approaches Ronnie Girl and Susie2. But, the way she plays seems not acceptable to them. Susie2 always tries to avoid Kala. Damai on the other hand is a solitary bear. She shows the least interest in playing with Kala among the group. Most of the time, she was just stays in a hammock and looking at Kala from hammock.  " This platform is so comfort, see me. Do you want to try? " - Kala  Don’t be afraid. I can be your good friend. - Loki For now, Kala was integrated with 2 of 6 bears in one session. In the future we will try to integrate her with at least 4 of the 6 bears at one time. We are looking forward to the integration of Kala with the sub-adult group and hope she can be friends with them soon. After the little bears would not play with her, we want to find her some companion. Now she will get new friends, and is not a lonely bear anymore.
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