A FAMILY SET FREE: ARAM, NAIRI AND LOLA’S STORY
For years, three Syrian brown bears lived in filthy, cramped cages in a backyard in Yerevan, Armenia. Aram had been held captive for 12 years. Nairi had been taken from the wild, and the pair were forced to breed again and again. Their cubs were taken away and sold, until only their young daughter, Lola, remained with them. The bears were denied even basic care and were fed on cola.
A rescue like no other
When a member of the public raised the alarm, our partners at the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) investigated and secured a court order to confiscate the bears. But when the team arrived at 9am, the owner refused to let them in. After a long standoff, and with the help of the police, they finally gained access as night fell. Working in heavy rain and darkness, they sedated the bears and carried them out. It took over 12 hours, and it was the most difficult rescue FPWC had ever carried out.
These were some of the worst conditions I have ever seen. The stench, the filth, the sheer cruelty of locking these animals up in tiny cages and feeding them cola, it was absolutely horrific.Alan Knight OBE, President of International Animal Rescue
A new life together
The bears were taken to FPWC’s wildlife rescue centre in Urtsadzor, where they received urgent veterinary care. Aram’s broken and infected teeth, the result of years of neglect and poor diet, were treated, and all three were closely watched over in quarantine.
Today, Aram, Nairi and Lola are safe at the sanctuary, where they can live together as a family. For the first time in their lives they have space to explore, a natural diet and the care they need, and they will never be locked in a cage again. Thanks to everyone who supported our appeal, this family’s suffering is finally over.
Aram, Niari and Lola Before Rescue
