Free the Bears operates the largest moon and sun bear sanctuary network in Southeast Asia and has supported the rescue of more than 1,000 bears from bile farms, illegal wildlife trade and other forms of exploitation

www.freethebears.org

Free the Bears is a leader in the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned bear cubs.

Some cubs arrive at our sanctuaries just weeks old, requiring around-the-clock support from dedicated bear carers. The youngest cubs need bottle feeding throughout the day and night, careful monitoring and specialist veterinary support to give them the best possible chance of survival during their most vulnerable days.

As cubs grow, our focus shifts to helping them develop the skills and behaviours they need to live as bears. Through carefully managed social groups, enrichment and access to natural environments, cubs learn to climb, forage, explore, swim and play with other bears.

Wherever possible, we also assess whether rescued cubs may one day be suitable for a return to the wild. This requires careful behavioural monitoring, minimal human contact, protected forest habitat and long-term research. Sadly most bears will need sanctuary care for life, due to the trauma they experienced. But whether a cub can return to the wild or needs sanctuary care for life, every one of them deserves safety.

How it all began: 

In 1993, Perth grandmother Mary Hutton saw a television report that changed the course of her life. The footage showed the horrifying extraction of bile from traumatised moon bears held in coffin-sized cages, a cruel practice used in traditional medicine across parts of Asia.

With no previous background in wildlife conservation, Mary began collecting signatures for a petition at her local shopping centre in Perth, Australia. What started as a small community effort quickly grew into a movement.

By 1995, Mary had founded Free the Bears.

Over the next three decades, her determination, and the support of thousands of people around the world, helped transform that grassroots effort into a leading conservation organisation protecting bears across Asia.

Today, Free the Bears operates the largest moon and sun bear sanctuary network in Southeast Asia and has supported the rescue of more than 1,000 bears from bile farms, illegal wildlife trade and other forms of exploitation.

10 ACROSS ASIA