Asiatic black bear in a cage in Vietnam

#saddestbears

Whether for bile extraction or as tourist attractions – hundreds of bears are exploited and tortured to make money

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Bear Lelya at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

Rescues

FOUR PAWS helps bears and many other animals under direct human influence

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Bears at BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

Sanctuaries

We provide species-appropriate homes for rescued animals all over the world

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BEARS

Although bears were long feared as dangerous and therefore nearly hunted to extinction, bears are quite peace-loving creatures. In the wild, these solitary omnivores spend up to 16 hours a day looking for food and roaming through fixed territories.   

FOUR PAWS focuses on the welfare of brown bears in Europe and Asian black bears in Vietnam. We also rescue bears from crisis regions and disaster areas.  

Worth knowing about BEARS

Bears sitting in snow

Brown Bear: Torpor or Hibernation?

How bears doze through the cold season – eating nothing for up to three months

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Bear is sitting in the grass

Brown Bear: Way of Life & Offspring

A year in the life of a brown bear in the wild – from mating to winter sleep

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Bear eating a tomato

Brown Bear: Food & Feeding Behaviour

Facts about bear's diet and foraging behaviour that might surprise you

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Enrichment in BEAR SANCTUARY

Enrichment for Bears

Search game for children – Dushi needs support!

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Asiatic black bear in Ninh Binh

Asiatic Black Bears

Interesting facts and the reason why this bear is exploited for bile

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Bear in a cage

Saddest Bears Initiative

Questions and Answers

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Bears Pashuk and Gjina at BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

Social Interactions of Our Wild Animals

According to their individual needs, our rescued animals get to experience social bonds in a safe environment 

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Happy and healthy Dushi

The Transformation of a Rescued Wild Animal

After being rescued, many of our animals go through a mental and physical transformation

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Group of bears

Animals in groups

From gaggle to gaze, from troop to parade – discover the unusual and funny collective animal names

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bears suffer under cruel keeping coNditions 

Despite their size and strength, bears in the wild have scarce space in which to survive. The brown bear lives only in a few protected areas in Europe. Most people know little about the predator that once was at home here. Whether kept in zoos, circuses or privately, bears suffer terribly under bad living conditions. In captivity, they are unable to act out their natural instincts such as roaming in search of food and hibernating.   

help for bears

How FOUR PAWS rescues bears from bad keeping conditions

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Animal Welfare and Tourism

Animal Welfare and Tourism

Selfies with bears in chains or petting lion cubs? Animal welfare should not stop on holiday!

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Bear in circus

WILD ANIMALS IN CIRCUSES

Animal suffering on tour

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Bear in private keeping

Wild Animals in Private Keeping

Wild animals, including big cats and bears, should not be kept as pets

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Bear in zoo

WILD ANIMALS IN ZOOS

Problem zone - Eastern Europe

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Helping animals in wars and conflict zones

Rapid Response for ANimals

FOUR PAWS helps animals in the face of wars or in conflict zones

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FOUR PAWS rescue mission

animal rescues

FOUR PAWS helps animals under direct human influence

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Picture GalLeries

Here you can see our bears - happy and pleased in their new home

Bears Being Goofy

Bears Being Goofy

Here you see just how your support has made a difference to our rescued bears!


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Brown bears Amelia and Miemo in the snow

#SaddestBears: FOUR PAWS rescues 24 bears in 7 months

FOUR PAWS has rescued 24 bears in past 7 months alone 


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Bear Nhi Nho at BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

Asiatic Black Bears in Care of FOUR PAWS

Our Asiatic black bears, also know as moon bears, can be seen enjoying their new lives at our BEAR SANCTUARIES Ninh Binh


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Brown bear Mira

Brown Bears in Care of FOUR PAWS

Images of the brown bears in our BEAR SANCTUARIES


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find out more about

the FOUR PAWS BEAR SANCTUARIES and cooperation projects! Rescued bears get a chance to live in an environment appropriate to their species. 

Bear Cuc BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

A FOUR PAWS project in Vietnam since 2017

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Bear Luna at BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

A FOUR PAWS project in Germany since 2006

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Bear Amelia at Arosa Bear Sanctuary

Arosa Bear Sanctuary

A cooperation project between FOUR PAWS and Arosa tourism in Switzerland since 2011

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Bear Ruta taking a bath at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

The FOUR PAWS forever home for abused brown bears in Ukraine since 2016

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Bear Erich at BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

A FOUR PAWS project for abused bears in Austria since 1998

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Bear Standy at Belitsa

BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa

A FOUR PAWS cooperation project in Bulgaria since 2000

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Bear Pashuk at BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

A FOUR PAWS project in Kosovo since 2013

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Lioness at Al Ma'Wa for Nature & Wildlife

Al Ma'wa for Nature & Wildlife

A cooperation project between the Princess Alia Foundation and FOUR PAWS in Jordan since 2011

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Bear Hana in Prishtina

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