Otisville, New York’s Orphaned Wildlife Center has made a huge name for itself for taking in orphaned or rescued bears, and they have a fascinating story. Some of their bears come to them when they’re injured by being hit by a car, for example, and others come from animal parks after they become injured while “working.” However, the best story is that of their Syrian brown bears. All of the Syrian brown bears in their care came to them from a breeding program that worked diligently to try to save the species. These bears are extremely endangered and the hope for a breeding program failed.
Since the bears originated from the Middle East, they couldn’t be introduced into the wild in the U.S. because they’re not native to this area. Because of that, the bears are now in permanent rescue status at Orphaned Wildlife Center. If the animals will be residing at the facility permanently, the staff will develop a relationship with them. However, if the animals will be released into the wild, they limit their interactions with the animals, which is a good policy. They have a lot of detailed information on their website about all of their bears, and they love to talk about the food they enjoy eating.
As it turns out, some of the bears love to be brushed. In August every year, bears start to shed their coats and end up looking kind of shabby. Because of this, caretaker Susan brushes some of the bears. Some people expressed disbelief that she actually does it, so someone filmed her doing so. This bear’s name is Maddy and she’s just adorable. She’s also very vocal and clearly appreciative of the brushing. This big girl loved the special treatment.
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You can follow Orphaned Wildlife Center on their Instagram, YouTube, or Facebook pages. Watch the video below.