Storybook ending for bear cub found wandering the streets of major city

The little bear has quite a story to tell, which is why he is now named Paddington, after the famous fictional bear.

Fourteen month old Paddington was a world away from the wild, and from his mother, when he was found in the busy streets of Sibiu, a city in Transylvania, central Romania.

Authorities were called when concerned members of the public reported seeing a bear cub in the highly populated streets of Sibiu –endangering himself, and anyone who tried to approach him.

At such a young age, the bear cub should have been in the wild in the protective care of his mother, but instead he was found scared and alone, cowering in a basement.

Our local partner, Asociatia Milioane de Prieteni (AMP), were called to the scene to help to gently capture the anxious cub, and take him to safety.

The team noticed that Paddington was in relatively good health, with glossy fur, and at ease with people: indicating he was likely poached from the wild, and being kept as a pet. Chances are he either escaped, or had been abandoned because he got too big.

Despite his ordeal in the big city, after he was given a full veterinary check-up, neutered, vaccinated and micro-chipped, Paddington was happily released into the sanctuary.

Today he is getting used to big open spaces, instead of busy city streets, and enjoying playing with the other bears.

Bears like Paddington belong in the wild. Yet every year bears and other wild animals, are torn from their mums and taken from the wild, to be kept as pets and used for entertainment.

Thanks to supporters like you we are helping to end this cruelty, and are moving people to protect bears.  

Bears like Paddington belong in the wild.