Rescued Bear Family Celebrates First Natural Hibernation After Dramatic Rescue
By Animals Correspondent
One year after their dramatic rescue, three Syrian brown bears – Aram, Nairi and their young daughter Lola – are celebrating a remarkable milestone in their recovery.
The bear family has successfully completed their very first natural hibernation at the wildlife rescue centre run by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), supported by International Animal Rescue (IAR).
The achievement marks an important step in the bears’ journey back to health and natural behaviour following years of hardship.
Aram and Nairi were discovered in appalling conditions in a backyard in Yerevan, Armenia, during an investigation by FPWC following a public tip-off.
Their young daughter Lola was born into captivity and kept alongside her parents in the same cramped conditions.
In a challenging rescue operation described by IAR as their “most difficult rescue to date”, teams from FPWC and IAR worked together to secure the bears’ freedom.
The court-ordered rescue took more than 12 hours and required police intervention after the owner initially refused entry despite the legal order.
As night fell, the team finally gained access and carefully sedated and transported the bears to safety.
Alan Knight OBE, President of International Animal Rescue, was present during the rescue and witnessed the conditions first-hand.
“This difficult rescue started when the team arrived at the property at 9 am, but the bear’s owner refused entry despite a legal order. After a prolonged standoff, they finally gained access as night fell and worked into the night to sedate and remove the bears from their appalling conditions. These bears had clearly suffered for many years, and 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.”
“To see them happy and healthy, knowing they have a future now, makes everything we went through worth it. Completing their first hibernation and exhibiting these natural behaviours is an incredible sight. We are so grateful to the FPWC team and all our donors and supporters for making this a reality.”
Since arriving at FPWC’s wildlife rescue centre, the bears have received dedicated veterinary treatment and round-the-clock care from specialist teams. Over the past year, Aram, Nairi and Lola have gradually regained their strength, confidence and natural instincts.
This winter brought a particularly meaningful milestone: all three bears successfully entered their first ever natural hibernation.
For animals who had never experienced normal seasonal cycles before, the ability to rest through winter is a powerful sign of recovery and wellbeing.
Seeing the bears settle into their new environment and express natural behaviours has been an emotional moment for the rescue teams who fought so hard to save them.
Today, Aram, Nairi and Lola are thriving in their new home, where they can finally live safely and peacefully together as a family.
Supporters can help other animals like them by donating to the bear appeal:
https://www.internationalanimalrescue.org/appeal/bearfamily
