Field Class Tropical Conservation and Climate Change with Minnesota University Students

Text by Chiew Lin May
​Photos by Seng Yen Wah & Chiew Lin May

​

​Busy. Think. Learn. Find out. Enjoy

​
Over the past few days (31 May till 4 June 2017), our wonderful students from University of Minnesota have been hard work helping on the maintenance of the forest enclosures and facilities, assisting bear care keepers on cleaning bear dens, food preparation and making or loading enrichment for bears! From this enrichment sun bears can build their natural behavior.

​Check out our lovely sun bears extremely grateful and figure out how to get into the treats on their new enrichment.

​

Let’s begin the day!

BSBCC CEO & Founder, Dr. Wong giving a lecture to the Minnesota University students on sun bear biology and ecology, highlight the sun bear conservation issues, roles of BSBCC to conservation and figs as keystone species.

BSBCC CEO & Founder, Dr. Wong giving a lecture to the Minnesota University students on sun bear biology and ecology, highlight the sun bear conservation issues, roles of BSBCC to conservation and figs as keystone species.

A simple briefing about work task by Professor Dawn Tanner.

Andy, our bear care staff show the Minnesota University students how to getting into and LOVE the work of cleaning the tall grass and bushy area.

Work start with maintaining visitor walkway.

Work start with maintaining visitor walkway.

Work start with maintaining visitor walkway.

Work start with maintaining visitor walkway.

It will be sunny and prefect day to help with forest enclosure maintenance.

It will be sunny and prefect day to help with forest enclosure maintenance.

Just to get their hands dirty!

Just to get their hands dirty!

Just to get their hands dirty!

Just to get their hands dirty!

We love being involved in maintaining enclosure.

Contributing to providing safe and secure enclosure for rescued sun bears.

Azzry, our bear care keeper shows Minnesota University students to create enrichment by using their own creativity.

Enrichment treats being prepared by Minnesota University students for the sun bears at BSBCC!

Collecting Bamboo time!!

Collecting dried leaves for bear bedding!

Collecting dried leaves for bear bedding!

Collecting enrichment materials.

Collecting enrichment materials.

Collecting enrichment materials.

This is prefect for the bears!!

This is prefect for the bears!!

Knowing sun bears are destroyer. Students are to make some incredibly high quality and difficult enrichment to bears.

Yummy!! Fire Hose Pocket filled with green leaves + Honey + Peanut butter!

The inside bamboo feeder, stick paradox, nest ball and ginger proposal enrichment contains varieties of sun bear favourite treat – peanut butter, bananas, edible leaves, twigs and of course HONEY!

Log Puzzle filled with peanut butter and green leaves.

Sun bear have incredible sense of smell so students tried sensory enrichment items filled with favourite foods for them.

Minnesota University students spend hours putting together bamboo feeder.

Happy enrichment filled with peanut butter!

This is hard for me - Manual drill!!

Creative way of designing enrichment.

Focus in washing fire hose pocket!

Making some secret recipe for bear enrichment!

Ahhhhhhh, life is good – sniffing honey!

This enrichment is a great way to keep our bears stay active all day long and happy.

Ready to give to the rescued sun bears !

So much fun working by having together joking around!

Minnesota University students have been working hard to mass produce the enrichment for rescued bears.

Minnesota University students are extremely proud of their own design of the enrichment they have made.

Catch this adorable photo!

Sun bear show curiosity by using extremely acute sense of smell at the enrichment.

Boboi bear is always up to something – especially with enrichment.

Just prefect for the bears to snuffle around and seek out for treats.

More enriching!!

Awesome!! The bear spent very long time explores the enrichment.

Curious Dodop tries out her Ginger proposal which was specially designed by students.

Showing so touchingly how these bears can put their terrible pasts behind them and rediscover their natural behaviour.

This dead wood has been tearing up by bear cubs looking for grubs as protein snack. More good wild behavior! Way to go, little Noah and Nano!!

This dead wood has been tearing up by bear cubs looking for grubs as protein snack. More good wild behavior! Way to go, little Noah and Nano!!

Breaking into log in search of insects.

Breaking into log in search of insects

The students hugely grateful our lovely bears enjoy the enrichment treats immensely!

Amazing to work alongside with enthusiastic Minnesota University students which helping to make a difference to sun bears lives.

Amazing to work alongside with enthusiastic Minnesota University students which helping to make a difference to sun bears lives.

Looks at those smiling faces!

Our sun bears will happily playing and explores the enrichment students had make for them.

Bear house induction done by Azzry.

Assisting bear keepers in providing daily husbandry care for the 44 rescued bears in BSBCC.

Hopefully the bears will love and live comfortable with the cleanness dens.

Food preparation induction brief by Thye Lim.

Chop! Chop! Chop fruits time!!

Chop! Chop! Chop fruits time!!

Delish foods….

The hot weather making these guys have been sweating it out. But the good things are they want to make sure the bears will have a good and happy time!

The bears are waiting for fruits!

Professor Dawn happy to help out in food preparation. Big thanks Prof. !

Scatter feeding around the forest enclosure to encourage bears foraging behaviour.

Scatter feeding around the forest enclosure to encourage bears foraging behaviour.

Kitud loves her food and seems to get just as excited.

The happiness that they saw on the bear face today.

​Party time at BSBCC!!
Minnesota students together with Dr.Wong are cooking together.

A big Tuna fish is served for the party!

Dr.Wong is having a cooking class.

Dr.Wong is teaching how to make a delicious malay cuisine, Curry!

Hello, Girl's Group here!!

I can be a good chef like Dr.Wong as well. - Don

I hope I can have one more plate of Char Kuey Teow. - Mai

Dr. Wong has dedicated his life to to save "the forgotten bear" but also not to forget he is a GREAT chef!!

Learner, Don and Master Chef, Dr.Wong

Make sure the fish is marinate well, put some seasoning and more love.

The student is helping to wrap the fish nicely and slowly.

Mizuno and Andy are in charge of the Seafood Barbecue.

Party time and Selfie time!!

Famous Penang Char Kuey Toew cook by Wong!

The delicious curry made us mouth watering.

Say cheese time!! The bears bark a BIG THANKS!! They deserve the love and care they get from you. A loud cheer for all your efforts!

Big thanks to you all for tireless work and giving support to improve the lives of these rescued bears – You are brighten up their chance where bears can live freely where they belong – WILD !!

Great work everyone ! Keep it up !