Marina, a seasoned zoologist with years of experience in wildlife rescue, has encountered many heartbreaking cases in her efforts to save bears and wolves.
Among them, the story of a 25-year-old Himalayan brown bear named Chada stands out as particularly poignant and I couldn’t resist sharing it with you.
Chada had spent nearly her entire life in captivity. At 25 years old, she’d first been confined to a circus and later abandoned in a cage among some old garages.
Fortunately, kind-hearted individuals noticed her plight and reached out to Marina and her husband, hoping they could help.
This compassionate couple rescued Chada and brought her to their sanctuary, a haven for bears and wolves. Here, Chada would finally enjoy her retirement years in peace and dignity.
The moment Marina released Chada into her sanctuary enclosure was profoundly emotional. For the first time, she experienced grass and water, investigating her new surroundings with intense curiosity.
Describing this heartwarming moment, Marina shared in a YouTube video:
“She investigated everything around her. She was very busy like, ‘I need to understand what happens. What is it? Okay, it’s my home now.’”
In her new home, Chada received specialized care that included veterinary treatments and a comfortable enclosure equipped with a small swimming pool, a cozy den, and a warm box for resting.
Surrounded by Marina and her dedicated team, Chada’s painful past was finally behind her, replaced by a future filled with care, comfort, and the freedom to live as a bear should.
Marina now watches with joy as Chada revels in splashing around in water, a simple pleasure she’d been deprived of for far too long.
Chada is much smaller than typical Himalayan bears because of her years in a cramped cage, as Marina explained:
“Normally they live in Middle Asia and only several hundreds of such subspecies of bears are left in the world. She is really even smaller than Himalayan bears should be because she spent her life in a tiny cage. She is like a micro bear.”
Due to her small size, Chada can’t socialize with other bears at the sanctuary. However, she can safely interact with them through the fence.
She sometimes exchanges kisses with a male bear in a neighboring enclosure, showing her gentler side. At other times, she reveals her feisty nature, especially when other bears or wolves disrupt her peace, as Marina shared:
“She can be angry when other bears or wolves make noise, you know, she needs to stop them like your grandma in the yard, like, ‘don’t make noise I am sleeping here.’”
Despite her advanced age and near blindness from years of captivity, Chada remains active and resilient. She energetically explores her enclosure, savoring each moment of her newfound freedom.
Even during the shelter’s mild winters, she occasionally rouses from her hibernation to stroll around.
Chada has already surpassed the typical lifespan for her species. Nevertheless, Marina hopes to provide her with many more comfortable years so she can enjoy a peaceful retirement, sharing:
“Of course, we are just staff for her but we hope she likes us and she allows us to help her to have a normal bear life and to learn how to be a bear after the circus life. And we really hope she will be with us as many years as it’s possible.”
Marina cherishes the opportunity to care for this sweet bear and is dedicated to filling her remaining years with happiness, just as she rightfully deserves.