It All Started with One Little Sweet Natured Cub - Sika

Text and Photos by Chiew Lin May

Since being rescued from a village in Sikalabaan, Sabah on February 9th 2017, Sika, a five month old, female sun bear cub, has completed her time in quarantine.

Sika is being bottle fed five times a day in FIDO dog milk replacer

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​She has shown tremendous growth in the last month. She is an active, healthy and beautiful female bear cub. She now weighs 7.25kg. 

Chart shows the growth curve of Sika cub (Updated 4th April 2017). Showing Sika is in good health and gain more weight

​The next rehabilitation phase for Sika is taking her out for walks in the forest. The problem with Sika is that she is still nervous to step out from her dens and the bonding between her surrogate mother is still weak. She was caged alone as a pet in a chicken mesh cage after losing her mother. All little Sika knew was pain and fear. She has needed to gain back confidence and trust towards her new surroundings.

​To prepare her in gaining back strength, confidence and trust, we have moved Sika into a larger exercise den with an environment which is as close as possible to life in the wild. This exercise dens is full of natural habitat enrichment such as dead wood, green leaves, leafy browse, climbing structures, a platform, and treats to stimulate and prepare her for life back in the wild.

Bear care team are help to setting up in various type of environmental enrichment

​We gave Sika the opportunity to venture out for the very first time. Once Sika was brought to the larger exercise den, she was easily stressed by noise and paced with alert at the new larger exercise den. She kept vocalizing and was uncomfortable with it. We tried to comfort and help her adapt to the new environment by showing her new enrichment toys. Sika needed plenty of time.

Thankfully, she did it! She calmed down and adapted to it. She decided it was time to explore the whole exercise den. Sun bear cubs require a lot of exercise to practice their physical skills and grow stronger! Her courage has grown with each day and she has started exploring. 

Sika naturally curious but also very alert

She becoming more playful and less nervous!

Stretching body before enter exercise dens!

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​She will gaze up at the nearby forest surrounding her exercise dens. 

FOREST will be my HOME!

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​She always goes straight to the big log and pulls off its branches. After one week, we are pleased with her progress in finding the strength to venture without any hesitation. 

Since little Sika was moved to larger exercise dens, she have been develop at a great rate!

​Sika is learning to trust her surrogate mother without fear. She will be growing and learning under the guidance of her surrogate mother.

With great love the surrogate mother teach Little Sika how to climb tree!

​She loves rolling and wrestling, and she is just so happy. Sika has excellent climbing skills. She uses her small curved claws to create a cavity in the climbing log to get the ants. Sometimes she will climb high to get a better look and avoid strange sounds! We envy her tree-climbing skills!!

Curious Sika climbs higher the platform tree

Sika is busy in digging!!

Sika digs the log hole in search of insects and leave distinctive claw marks!

We envy her tree-climbing skills!!

Little more playful!

Tired after play !

Tired after play !

Sika fun, for sure!

She is learning and experiencing that life as a wild bear can be great. She knows her tragic past is now behind her and is discovering her natural behavior. She has proven herself to be a sweet natured sun bear! We hope the next move will be taking little Sika on walks in the forest to let her experience the true Bornean environment.

Bring Sika to walk in forest in preparing Sika to live independently in her forest HOME.

Bring Sika to walk in forest in preparing Sika to live independently in her forest HOME.