Meet the Bears!

At our Bear Rescue project in Cambodia, the team volunteers care for over 120 rescued Sun Bears and Moon Bears that have experienced mistreatment and providing a safe haven for them.

As a result of their mistreatment, many of the bears suffer long term health problems; this combined with the mass deforestation in Cambodia means they are sadly unable to be released. The team work tirelessly to give these bears the happy home they deserve. 

In volunteering alongside the dedicated Bear Rescue team, you will have the opportunity to get to know some of the resident bears at the sanctuary and their stories. We have included some information about some of our furry friends at the centre below!

Beautiful Brandy

It is hard not to fall in love with this beautiful golden-coloured Moon Bear! Brandy was kept as a pet, after her original home was converted into palm oil plantation, but soon become too much of a handful for her owners. Bears may look cute and cuddly, but do not make great pets once fully-grown due to their size and unpredictability - this is why many bears are rescued by the team each year. 

You may be surprised by her golden yellow fur, as Moon Bears are known for their jet black colouring. Brandy’s fur is an extremely rare genetic colour phase, we are therefore very lucky to have met her!

Mokiup – magnificent despite his name!

Mokiup means “ugly-face” in Khmer, a name affectionately given as he arrived at the centre in such a terrible condition; starved, chained and covered in sores. He is now unrecognisable and is a remarkable success story that the team are rightfully proud of. 

Mokiup is now a friendly and trusting bear and is always trying to put on a show for visitors, as he feels safe in the knowledge he will no longer be harmed. 

Strong Shoelace

Shoelace was an appropriate name when rescued in 2007, after being confiscated from a hunter and extremely  malnourished and small in stature.  Shoelace is now a strong and mischievous bear – a happy ending thanks to the efforts of the team! 

Shoelace’s inquisitive and cheeky personality wins the hearts of volunteers; it is fascinating watching him forage and use the enrichments volunteers have made.  It is not just Winnie the Pooh who likes honey, bears like Shoelace love to extract honey from bits of bamboo prepared for by volunteers!

Sweet but sassy Seriheap!

Seriheap means Freedom in Khmer (the national language of Cambodia). Her name is more relevant today as she spends her days exploring the forests of the Bear Rescue sanctuary, this however was not always the case for this beautiful Sun Bear. 

In 2010, as a young cub she lived in a temple in northern Cambodia and had been initially free to wander the temple grounds. However, this was short-lived as Seriheap became increasingly aggressive and was consequently locked in a tiny cage for several years, until her rescue in 2016.

If you would like to meet the rest of the bears and support the team in their fantastic work, you can find out more here: https://www.podvolunteer.org/projects/bear-sanctuary-cambodia

To get an insight on what it is like to join the Bear Rescue team, Lucy from the Pod Volunteer UK Team has shared her experiences with us here.