For your viewing pleasure!

Hi all! Glad you're enjoying my blog and for those of you who are able to watch the show on Animal Planet, I'm pleased that you are getting a good feel for the work we do at the sanctuary.

I wanted to thank you all for your generous comments - they haven't gone unnoticed. I know that I have a few questions on the same subject (like bear farming), so I will put up a post to try and answer all those comments in one go so everyone can see the info.

In the meantime, I thought I'd give you this fun fact to chew over...

The bears eat two and a half tonnes of food each week! While they can and do forage for food in the forest – staff continue to supplement their diet as the bears have been used to being fed in captivity.

             

Comments

[diet suppliments]

hi!Bears are not suited to a life of captivity in small enclosures in zoos. Bears need large areas of forest to allow them to exhibit their natural behaviours. Some zoos try to look after their bears by putting them in larger enclosures, but the majority of zoo bears around the world are kept in poor or inadequate conditions. In captivity bears can be fed a variety of fruit and vegetables and actually carrots are a real favourite of bears! But, their diet has to be varied enough to include different foods. Polar bears in captivity should also get some fish in their diet as they feed on fish and seals in the wild.

[Miria]

Wonderful photos!

[Katharine for WSPA UK]

Hi, this is response to Roy Fallon's comment (as I've noticed that a couple of Roy's have posted on here!) Bears are not suited to a life of captivity in small enclosures in zoos. Bears need large areas of forest to allow them to exhibit their natural behaviours. Some zoos try to look after their bears by putting them in larger enclosures, but the majority of zoo bears around the world are kept in poor or inadequate conditions. In captivity bears can be fed a variety of fruit and vegetables and actually carrots are a real favourite of bears! But, their diet has to be varied enough to include different foods. Polar bears in captivity should also get some fish in their diet as they feed on fish and seals in the wild. Hopefully your polar bear cub in Belgrade City Zoo will be getting more than carrots and stale bread.

[roy kenyon]

You are indeed special people, hence why I continue to support you and will may it continue.........

[Sue Nightingale]

I agree with all the other comments above - the programme is heart-warming to know that the bears are going to a place like heaven to them, and also that the programme is bringing joy to other kind animal loving folk. I too donate to WSPA (and many other animal charities) when I can - but I too wish I could give more to help save ALL animals in the world. It is encouraging to know there are many animal organisations in the world that are helping our furry friends though :-) Keep up the excellent work WSPA! Kindest regards.

[Mahesh]

Excellent work, you people are so wonderful. Real heroes.

[Gaynor]

I am so glad that my husband Pete and i give to WSPA.
You do such excellent work and often it seems impossible to ever see a time when man will stop persecuting the fabulous creatures who inhabit this great planet of ours.
Please know that your tireless efforts don't go unnoticed.
Thanx for putting Bear sanctuary on Animal PLanet it's wonderful.
Gaynor

[Tina Hassell]

Would there be a possibility of getting celebrities and high profile people together to campaign publicly to stop the bear bile farms. And how can the general public help, because this has got to stop.

[Jo]

Bears are beautiful and cool creatures. One of the reasons that I joined WSPA was because of the work that you have done around bear baiting etc. Please keep up this excellent work and I'll keep the money coming!I read Roy Fallon's post and I hope that something can be done in Serbia - I can't bear the thought of a polar bear eating carrots and stale bread - that is simply awful.
P.S. the photos are fantastic!

[Ann Jones]

How I envy you Victor, helping to put right the wrongs that mankind has inflicted must be the best job in the world. Heartbreaking though it must be at times you, and everyone like you, working to improve the plight of animals have the satisfaction of knowing that you do make a difference. You are all very special people.

[samantha stirling]

i am so glad that the bears in the sanctuary are free now from abuse and neglect. i wish i could donate more than i do but i can not afford more thsn i give. so glad of the mpeople that save all these animals. wish the world were nicer to all animals

[Roy Fallon]

Hi.

I recently made a trip to Serbia's Belgrade City Zoo.
I went to Belgrade after being told of the conditions that the animals there are kept in and I had to see for myself.
I am now in the process of writing up my report regarding the conditions there.
I will be sending the completed report to W.S.P.A. in the hope that they can take some action to alleviate the problems suffered there, especially by the bears and the wolves.
If you look at my facebook pages, you can look at my photo albums and see the conditions that exist there.
My www.facebook.com profile is Roy Fallon and you will know you are on the right page if you see my profile photo is a tiger.
Please take the time to look at these photos if you can and if possible, please write to the Serbian authorities and W.S.P.A. regarding their plight.
The image of the baby polar bear having to survive on carrots and stale bread will live with me for a long long time.

[Mark Styles]

What wonderful creatures, They deserve respect and a life of freedom. I will continue to support WSPA in their efforts to free these animals and others from persecution,pain and torment from the human race. Keep up the good work and bless you all for caring.

[lorrainne jones]

so glad you are doing this to help bears, they are beautiful creatures, iwish i could donate more but i know every bit helps. keep up the good work and i hope you get many more supporters x

[paula groves]

i have been a member of wspa for years and the bears are of special interest to me. it is sad that so many are being abused around the world ie the bearbaiting in Pakistan. not enough people are interested in animal cruelty but hopefully through your publicity it might get through to the ignorant. keep up the good work.

paula groves

[eileen hathaway]

hi ty for info. about 8 yrs ago i was at work reading the paper and there was a item about the bears and there living conditions. i was telling everyone about this item i couldnot stop crying thank god they have you and many more like you its a reliefe to know there being cared for keep up the great work godbless you all xx