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Bean

Male , 10 years old

About Bean

We are thrilled to see Bean grow into a strong and happy bear. This has been made possible because of the generosity of our supporters, and it is thanks to you that Bean enjoys the freedom to live and play in acres of his own space with companions, lots of food, professional care and people who love him.

In the many years Bean has been at the sanctuary, he has come out of his shell and become a whirlwind of energy and happiness. Bean is still the soft, gentle soul that he has always been and these days he enjoys spending time by himself on top of the double level platforms, where he carries honey logs to indulge in peace. He is a symbol of hope that with compassion and dedication, vulnerable beings can be given a second chance at life. Bean’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable, with many milestones along the way.

Adopt Bean today to receive regular exclusive updates and join him on his road to recovery.

Bean's Story

Three young sloth bears were seized from poachers in 2013 in a joint rescue operation by our partner charity Wildlife SOS, the local police and forestry department. The bears were confiscated from a community of street entertainers who had illegally bought the bears into India.It is suspected that they poached the bear cubs from different parts of India and then hid them in Nepal until they were large enough to sell to the Kalandar community. Here, it was a tradition to use ‘dancing bears’ as a form of entertainment for tourists. Since the people of Kalandar were unwilling to buy the bears, they were transported back to Nepal, street dancing along the way. It is suspected that the bears would have been killed and their body parts sold off to South East Asian countries for use in traditional Chinese medicine or for delicacies like bear paw soup.

The Wildlife SOS anti-poaching unit received intelligence that the poachers were hiding in a remote forested area so their location was passed on to the relevant local authorities who provided the personnel to carry out the seizure of the bears. The successful operation was carried out using a convoy of six vehicles, 20 police officers, 15 forest officers and Wildlife SOS personnel.It was a very hostile and threatening situation as an unruly mob gathered around the poachers to protect them from the police and even tried to torch the police vehicle.

Bean being rescued
Bean at rescue with a rope through his nose

The three bears, two males and one female, were transferred to the Agra Bear Rescue Facility in Uttar Pradesh after receiving treatment, the world’s largest rehabilitation for sloth bears. Bean was one of these bears and was just a three-year-old cub when he was rescued in 2013 and brought to the rescue facility in Agra.

His delicate muzzle had been pierced and his cruel master had wrenched his canines out. The vets carefully cut and removed the rope and treated the open wound in his nose. They administered painkillers and antibiotics to make Bean comfortable. He was then house in a quarantine area and provided with a nutritious diet to build up his strength and his health was monitored closely.

Bean with other bears in his enclosure
Bean looking up

Once Bean’s quarantine period was over, he could be moved to the socialisation pen where he came in contact with other bears in the enclosure. A fencing barricade separated him from the other bears at first to allow them to socialise and become accustom to each other.

It was not long until Bean could be moved into an enclosure with other bears and he soon formed a close bond with littermate Bintha. He was a simple bear that kept himself entertained throughout the day and he loved playing with a bell or scooting for termites and ants whilst digging deep pits. Bintha and Bean loved mock wresting and chasing each other around.

Being a young bear, Bean was also bustling with energy and curiosity. He was an amusing combination of naughty and smart, and used his wiles to wreak havoc. Bean and Bintha were naturally attracted to each other and they shared their enclosure with another playful bear named Elvis who had been rescued from a similar situation. Elvis was a perfect fit for the gang and the three could be seen playing together constantly, only taking a break for their meals! Bean was always the first to try out enrichment and his favourite activities included climbing wooden platforms, relishing honey logs and grappling over treat-filed enrichment balls.

Bean and Elvis
Bean with his tongue out

Bean and Elvis were always getting into playful fights which were usually harmless, until Elvis took the liberty of nipping Bean on the rump during a mock wrestling session! Needless to say, Bean was quite stunned by this unexpected move and had to go through treatment for the bite. The wound healed very quickly and the boys were back to being best friends again in no time.

During monsoon season, the centre was transformed into a lush green haven which the three musketeers, Bean, Elvis and Bintha, were thrilled about – they stayed out in the rain and would spend hours running about the field all covered in mud.

The group were moved to a bigger enclosure, where they gained a new enclosure mate–Rose. Although Bean remained close to Bintha, the addition of our energetic Rose to the group altered Bean’s relationship with Elvis as Bean developed a keen interest in Rose, so much so that she became his favourite playmate. They were both quite food-motivated and their energetic demeanor would change when they were waiting for dinner. Bean would casually sit near the entrance door of his pen patiently waiting for his keeper to arrive with porridge - he has always loved his warm porridge! Bean consumes up to 1.2 kilograms of fruit a day and there is plenty to choose from; watermelon, papaya, chickoo and apples, to name a few.

Bean Adopter Update - August 2020

Bean is very special as he shares a close bond with his keepers who have been taking great care of him since the day he arrived at the centre. He has a particular love for Mubarak, one of his keepers.The pair can often be spotted indulging in some rough and tumble. Bean always looks forward to receiving affectionate head pats and extra helpings of treats from Mubarak. Bean is a big boy with a jumbo appetite, especially when it comes to eating coconuts and treats laced with honey. According to his keepers, Bean has a quirky habit of gulping down a bowl full of water right after his meals in a human-like manner.

What you get?

Adopt Bean today and you will receive:

  • A personalised certificate in recognition of your adoption
  • A high quality picture of Bean to frame
  • An animal fact sheet with information on Bean and sloth bears as a whole
  • Exclusive news, photos and videos of your adopted animal sent via email and avaliable online
  • A soft plush sloth bear toy (optional)
Bean's adoption pack contents