About Bear Alert

Bears in Mind and Foundation for Bears created 'Bear Alert' to monitor and help improve the lives of captive bears suffering in poor conditions. 

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Cooperation

Bears in Mind, together with Foundation for Bears, is dedicated to improve the living conditions for captive bears globally, and collaborate with partners to achieve this goal. The organizations manage a database called Bear Alert that tracks reported cases of captive bears in dire situations and verifies and updates the information to provide a comprehensive overview of their current status. This database is accessible to registered users. In addition, Bears in Mind and Foundation for Bears work with the European Alliance of Rescue Centers and Sanctuaries (EARS), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) and other partners, to proactively address the welfare of captive bears throughout Europe.

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Success stories - an example

Bear Alerted in Ukraine

Location: Ukraine, Zaporizhya - Childrens Railroad mini zoo

Species: Brown bear (Ursus arctos)

Sex: Male named 'Malysh'

Owner: State

Condition: Very poor enclosure, reasonable health

Current status: Malysh and female Ljalja were both rescued in October 2021 and brought to The Bear Forest in The Netherlands by Bears in Mind.

Together, we make a difference!

When we receive a report about a bear in need, we assess the situation carefully. Basically, there are three options. We consider short-term solutions to improve the situation. This may involve consulting with our partners or reaching out to the bear's owner to provide advice on proper care such as diet, water and housing. We also suggest simple enrichment techniques, like providing the bear with toys or hiding food, which can help reduce stress and improve its quality of life. Secondly, if possible we may need to take more drastic action, such as confiscating the bear if it is being kept illegally or without proper permits and relocating it to a suitable facility. Unfortunately, space for captive bears is limited, so we carefully consider all available options and work closely with partners in our network in order to find the best placement for each bear. Lastly, there are cases where we can't do anything because of e.g. legislative obstacles or an active war situation. But these animals are also registered in the database and when the local situation changes for the positive, we'll try and find out how to help.