A disturbing undercover video from Ukraine depicts a screaming baby bear snatched from her mother and brutally forced into a tiny box, while the mother bear cries frantically in her cage.
The cub — Nastia — was sold illegally by the Lutsk zoo in the Volyn province to animal traders, according to the animal welfare charity Four Paws.
It is suspected that Nastia will end up as a tourist attraction, where captive bears live in small cages next to restaurants, hotels or petrol stations and have to perform tricks. Some of the bears are also forced to drink alcohol to entertain tourists.
Please note the video is extremely disturbing:
The Lutsk zoo director reportedly admitted that female bears in the Lutsk zoo give birth every year “so that profits can be made with the offspring”.
Amir Khalil, head of the FOUR PAWS project in Ukraine, says it is illegal for the country’s zoos to sell animals to private buyers, and wants the government to take action.
We urge the Ukrainian government to immediately confiscate the young bear. There’s no time to lose. This mother and child need to be reunited as quickly as possible. We are at the full disposal of the authorities and need to establish a home for both bears, appropriate for the species.
According to Four Paws, more than 80 bears are believed to be living in “horrific captive conditions” in Ukraine.
Video about ‘Project Ukraine’ to rescue abused bears:
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Rhishja Cota
I am the founder of Annamiticus and I have been researching and writing about wildlife trafficking issues since 2009. I also founded World Pangolin Day in 2012. I am the author of USAID Wildlife Asia's Pangolin Species Identification Guide: A Rapid Assessment Tool for Field and Desk. I co-facilitated and was a presenter at the USAID Wildlife Asia Pangolin Care Workshop. At the 4th Regional Dialogue on Combating Trafficking of Wild Fauna and Flora, I facilitated the species roundtables on pangolins. I have trekked with forest rangers in Cambodia, journeyed to the streets of Hanoi to research the illegal wildlife trade, and to the rainforests of Sumatra and Java to document the world’s rarest rhinos. At CITES meetings, I collaborate with colleagues from around the world to lobby in favor of protecting endangered species. I hosted the Behind the Schemes podcast and am the author of the book Murder, Myths & Medicine. I enjoy music, desert gardening, herping, reading, creating, and walking with my dogs. Check out my t-shirts and stickers at snoots + teefers.