RESCUE BEAR 22 (Released)

NATALIE

AGE : 12 Years Old

SEX : Female

MEANING OF NAME : To remember her arrival two days before Christmas.

HISTORY : Handed over to the Wildlife Department in Lahad Datu district, eastern part of Sabah by a local man. When she was first handed over she was roughly 4 months old and had been fed with condensed milk. It was claimed that she was found alone and abandoned by her mother.

PERSONALITY : Active and playful, Natalie is a dominant personality in the forest. Natalie enjoys her freedom, climbing though the trees, foraging for wild food and building tree nests in the tree canopy which she does with great enthusiasm. Over the last couple of years, Natalie seems to have mastered all the survival skills of the forest. She will grow up into a solitary and independent wild sun bear. On July 23th, 2014, Natalie escaped from the forest enclosure by climbing and crossing a 40 m tree with canopy connected to another tall tree at the other side of the fence. She was captured on August 29th, 2014 by a modified bear den door when she returned by herself to the bear house. With her proven intelligence and strong natural instincts she is a potential candidate for release into the wild.

In very exciting news, after learning in BSBCC for five years Natalie is ready to be released back to where she belongs – the forest. On May 17th, 2015 this is the FIRST time that a captive sun bear got reintroduced to its natural habitat in Sabah using a helicopter and is monitored post release with the help of a satellite collar. Natalie is ready to live a new life as a truly wild sun bear in the Tabin Wildlife Reserve. 

Fore more information on Natalie released, visit 
Sun Bear Returned to Natural Habitat

IDENTIFYING MARK OR TRAIT : She has a darker tone around both her eyes and a very distinctive, yellow pattern on her chest.