Polar Bear Rescued from a Siberian Circus Experiences Freedom for the First Time
Polar bears are majestic animals, but they are endangered. At least those in the wild have the chance to fight for themselves, hunt for food, and raise their cubs. For many years, the only life that Napa knew, was one in which he was confined to concrete and cages.
As a circus bear, Napa was forced to perform in front of large crowds, and never got the chance to enjoy his life. He was cruelly treated and confined to tiny spaces when he wasn’t been rolled out in front of circus guests that he was required to entertain.
In 2009, a law was passed in Siberia that banned the use of wild animals in circuses and since the organization that owned him no longer needed him, he was forced to spend his days in a tiny cage. An animal rescue organization called Four Paws heard about Napa’s condition and decided that they needed to take urgent action to try and rescue the bear.
Fast forward to 2016 and Four Paws were able to confiscate Napa from his cage and he was placed in a temporary holding at a Siberian zoo. A further two years passed until Napa was able to experience life as the animal charity had worked so tirelessly to help him achieve.
He finally arrived at the bear sanctuary in Switzerland after a tiresome journey and became the first resident housed at the facility. As you can see from the video, he has so much space to experience his life and explore without being constrained by chains and iron bars, as was the case at the circus.
Fortunately, there are caring people all across northern and central Europe dedicated to rescuing captive bears and taking them to sanctuaries, where they can live the remainder of their lives free from the mental torture of being consigned to a cage.
Let’s hope that Napa can enjoy his remaining years in peace and quiet, and can at least experience some of the small pleasures of life that he has missed out on for the entirety of his existence.
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