A pair of brown bears have been successfully relocated from Russia to an Irish forest following a daring five-year rescue effort.
Bu and Tyapa were confined to cages at a pet sanctuary in Dagestan, a south western republic on the Caspian Sea.
After being reportedly bred to be killed for taxidermic purposes, Tyapa was denied basic resources and were kept in an enclosure just two metres high, leaving him unable to stand upright and relying on water fed to him by hosepipes to drink.
He was kept with no roof above his head, exposing him to searing heat in the summer and freezing temperatures during Dagestan’s harsh winters.
Bu spent a life performing for audiences at a circus, before being cooped in a small indoor cage with limited water supply.
Transporting the pair was a huge logistical challenge, given the distance of more than 4,000km and no direct flights between Russia and most European countries.
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Plans had initially been put in place for the bears to travel by road, over the border to Ukraine and into eastern Europe.
However, Russian’s invasion in February 2022 and subsequent sanctions imposed by western countries forced lawyers to look for a new route for the animals.
Dima and Yana Kim, workers at Tiger House, a sanctuary caring for former circus animals in St Petersburg, made the 36-hour drive across Russia to free the ursines.
The bears had to be cut out of their cages, which were rusting, before being sedated so they could be safely transported to Ireland.
Back in St Petersburg, medical tests showed both bears were suffering from serious kidney problems due to their prolonged dehydration, as well as malnourishment and mental trauma.
The pair were then flown to Ireland via Abu Dhabi in the UAE, with the help of state-owned Etihad Airlines, who agreed to ship the animals in a cargo aircraft at a reduced price.
Some 100 people were involved in the transport operation, which saw the bears finally land in Dublin on August 3 this year.
They were then carried by lorry to Donegal to be quarantined and relocated to their new home in the forest.
Blood test show their kidneys are now functioning normally, although the bears remain frightened of open spaces, deep water, wind and the movement of trees.
Wild Ireland founder Killian McLoughlin said the bears had been ‘left to rot’.
When I saw how many people had turned out to help in Russia, Abu Dhabi and Ireland some with tears in their eyes, I believed these bears mattered and now so many others do too,’ she said.
‘They just needed someone to tell their story. These bears had spent years with so few people looking out for them, and now there were so many people who cared.’
Ms McLoughlin added the bears were still adapting to their new surroundings.
She explained: ‘Things we might expect a bear to enjoy can frighten them because they have never had the chance to experience them before.
‘We have experience rehabilitating rescued animals, and we will work at their pace. If they want to spend time in their smaller houses, that’s okay too. It is all part of their rehabilitation. Our job is to give them what they need to feel safe.’
The pair can be viewed by visitors although the dense forest means they are free to seek privacy if they want.
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