From Russian cages to Irish sanctuary: The five-year rescue journey of Bu and Tyapa

ByMike McBride

BBC News NI

After years in cramped cages, two brown bears are adjusting to their new life following a remarkable rescue mission that spanned multiple countries, was disrupted by two major conflicts and involved more than 100 people.

For Bu and Tyapa, the five-year rescue journey from the Republic of Dagestan in Russia to the Irish countryside was anything but straightforward.

One bear had spent their life forced to perform in a circus, while the other was confined to a cage so small they could not stand upright.

Today, the bears are now adjusting to a totally different world among the trees and grass at Wild Ireland, a sanctuary for rescued animals in County Donegal.

Wild Ireland founder Killian McLaughlin first learned about Bu and Tyapa in 2021 and committed to bringing them to safety in Donegal.

The sanctuary, located in Burnfoot, opened in October 2019 and provides a safe space for animals, including brown bears, monkeys, wolves, and lynx.

McLaughlin said the two bears were in extremely poor health when they were first rescued.

Former circus bear Bu had spent years confined to a small indoor cage after being forced to perform.

McLaughlin said Tyapa had lived in a cage measuring just 2.5m by 2.5m by 2m, which was too low for him to stand upright and had no roof, which left him exposed to the harsh winters and blistering summer heat.

The bear had no water dish and relied on a hose for drinking water. McLaughlin said he was being raised to be killed for an eventual taxidermy display.

When the bears were rescued, both were severely malnourished and showed signs of psychological trauma.

Blood tests also revealed serious kidney problems associated with prolonged dehydration.

How do you transport two large bears?

Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 made the original transport route through Ukraine impossible, said McLaughlin.

An alternative route through the Middle East was then explored, but plans were disrupted again in February 2026 when the escalating conflict involving Iran led to airspace closures and flight disruptions across the region.

More than 100 people were involved in the rescue operation, including volunteers, lawyers, veterinarians, animal transport specialists, cargo teams and officials in Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Ireland.

In late October 2025, Dima and Yana Kim, who work at Tiger House, a sanctuary near St Petersburg that cares for former circus tigers, embarked on a 36-hour drive to Dagestan to rescue the bears.

Bu and Tyapa had to be cut out of their rusting steel cages, sedated and placed in secure transport crates for the journey back to Tiger House, where they received veterinary treatment and underwent quarantine.

After months of preparation and repeated delays, the bears eventually travelled from Moscow via Abu Dhabi to Dublin, arriving in Ireland in August.

Health improvements since arriving

Since arriving at Wild Ireland, McLaughlin said both bears have gained weight, their coats have improved, and follow-up blood tests have shown that their kidney function has returned to normal.

He said their habitat provides woodland, water and room to explore, as well as sheltered areas where they can retreat or move out of public view if they would like some privacy.

"These bears have suffered trauma and the first step of that recovery process is get them back out into the forest, get their paws into the soil and on the grass and get them exploring.

"We hope they can now have a full and happy life."

Working with bears isn't your normal 9-5

Working with bears is certainly not your everyday job, but for Wild Ireland team member Chloe McElhatton, it's one she absolutely relishes.

Chloe has been working at Wild Ireland for just over a year. She studied zoology at Queen's University Belfast, completing a four-year degree before joining the team.

"This is obviously a very unique job, and it's quite different from what most people would do," she said.

"We've done a lot of work hiding food around the bear habitats, encouraging them to search and forage for it themselves and this promotes their natural behaviours and helps them become more comfortable in that new open space," she said.

"Over time, we've seen their confidence build, and you can see great changes, both physically and mentally, in both of them."

What do visitors think of the bears?

Liam, who is from France, said the bears were one of his favourite animals to see when visiting the park.

"Very big and very impressive," is how he summed up Bu and Tyapa.

"I saw chickens, some wolves and some monkeys and then the bears which were definitely my favourite."

Chris Roberts is from Manorcunningham, about 20 minutes from Wild Ireland, and has been visiting the site ever since it first opened in 2019.

"I've lost count of how many times we've been here, but we really wanted to come down today to see if we could catch a glimpse of Bu and Tyapa.

"It was fantastic to see them in the flesh.

"We absolutely loved it and are delighted to see them doing so well, especially considering their backstory and the awful conditions they were once kept in."