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ABOUT ORPHAN BEAR RESCUE CENTRE
The Orphan Bear Rescue Center is located in Bubonitsy village of Tver Region, 450 km northwest of Moscow.
The Center rescues, rehabilitates, raises, and prepares orphaned brown bear cubs for independent survival in the wild. Specialists of the Center release rehabilitated cubs into the wild and carry out post-release monitoring to check if the cubs adapt well to their natural habitats.
The Center rescues, rehabilitates, raises, and prepares orphaned brown bear cubs for independent survival in the wild. Specialists of the Center release rehabilitated cubs into the wild and carry out post-release monitoring to check if the cubs adapt well to their natural habitats.
Valentin Pazhetnov
Founder of the Center
Honored ecologist of Russia, doctor of biological sciences, chief researcher of the Central Forest state nature biosphere reserve, developer of a unique method of growing orphans, founder of the biological station "Clean forest". Author of many scientific works and popular science books. His book "My friends bears" (1985) has been translated and reprinted in several countries.
Since the 1970s Valentin Pazhetnov runs experimental studies of the behavior of the brown bear from birth to independence. In the 1990s they were formed into a unique method of rearing orphaned bears with the possibility of returning to the wild. During the work of the Center 229 bears were rehabilitated by the method of Pazhetnov and released back into the forest. These recommendations have been successfully applied both for the rehabilitation of brown bear cubs and other bear species, helping to preserve the population in Russia, Korea and India.
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We know how to rehabilitate wild bears, but that's not all. We have fully restored the micro-population of bears in the Nature Reserve "Bryansk forest". There were only 6 bears left, they were isolated from the rest of the area by the treeless space. Now there are about 50 bears. Recently, we have developed a completely new technique that allows return to nature cubs born in ZOOs.
Sergey Pazhetnov
Head of the Centre
Wildlife biologist, senior researcher of the Central Forest state natural biosphere reserve
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The main characteristic of our work is that we work with animals that must learn to survive in the wild. The base condition of this skill is a sense of fear for a humans. If the animal is not afraid of people, it will not survive in the wild and is doomed to death or life imprisonment in a cage. We do not raise bears in any way – we provide them conditions close to their natural habitat, and semi-free keeping, thanks to which they form all the behaviors necessary for life in the wild: food, defensive, nesting, fear response to humans.
Vasiliy Pazhetnov
Wildlife biologist, Specialist of the Center
VALENTIN
PAZHETNOV
PAZHETNOV
Founder of the Center. Honored ecologist of Russia, doctor of biological sciences, chief researcher of the Central Forest state nature biosphere reserve, developer of a unique method of growing orphans, founder of the biological station "Clean forest". Author of many scientific works and popular science books. His book "My friends bears" (1985) has been translated and reprinted in several countries
Since the 1970s Valentin Pazhetnov runs experimental studies of the behavior of the brown bear from birth to independence. In the 1990s they were formed into a unique method of rearing orphaned bears with the possibility of returning to the wild. During the work of the Center 229 bears were rehabilitated by the method of Pazhetnov and released back into the forest. These recommendations have been successfully applied both for the rehabilitation of brown bear cubs and other bear species, helping to preserve the population in Russia, Korea and India.
We know how to rehabilitate wild bears, but that's not all. We have fully restored the micro-population of bears in the Nature Reserve "Bryansk forest". There were only 6 bears left, they were isolated from the rest of the area by the treeless space. Now there are about 50 bears. Recently, we have developed a completely new technique that allows return to nature cubs born in ZOOs.
SERGEY
Head of the Centre. Wildlife biologist, senior researcher of the Central Forest state natural biosphere reserve.
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The main characteristic of our work is that we work with animals that must learn to survive in the wild. The base condition of this skill is a sense of fear for a humans. If the animal is not afraid of people, it will not survive in the wild and is doomed to death or life imprisonment in a cage. We do not raise bears in any way – we provide them conditions close to their natural habitat, and semi-free keeping, thanks to which they form all the behaviors necessary for life in the wild: food, defensive, nesting, fear response to humans.
С 1970-х годов Валентин Сергеевич вел экспериментальные исследования поведения бурого медведя от рождения до обретения самостоятельности. В 1990-е годы они оформились в уникальную методику доращивания медвежат-сирот с возможностью возвращения в дикую природу. За время работы Центра прошли реалибилитацию по методике Пажетнова и выпущены обратно в лес более 230 медведей. Эти рекомендации успешно применяется как для реабилитации медвежат бурого медведя, так и других видов медведей, помогают сохранять популяции специалистам из России, Кореи и Индии.
PAZHETNOV
VASILIY
PAZHETNOV
PAZHETNOV
Wildlife biologist, Specialist of the Center
EKATERINA
Wildlife biologist, Specialist of the Center
PAZHETNOVA
Ekaterina Pazhetnova
Wildlife biologist, Specialist of the Center
More than 10 years we cooperate with the leading veterinarians of Russia that allowed developed and established empirically the best ways of feeding cubs using special milk mixtures for predatory animals.
We conduct scientific work on the study of the ecology and behavior of brown bear in its natural habitat, in particular in the Central Forest state natural biosphere reserve. We monitor the population of brown bears in Tver, Novgorod, Pskov regions and in case of detection of a threat to the population we can timely replenish it with cubs from the Rescue Center. In 2014, a Handbook was published to take into account the number, sex, age and size of the brown bear population based on the meeting cards.
We understand how important from an early age to educate children in love and respect for nature. Our staff regularly holds environmental protection lectures among schoolchildren and youth. More than 10 years we organize children's summer school-practice. We stand for responsible attitude to the world around us, to wildlife, to animals and plants. Understanding the need for ecological and educational work, we participate in the filming of documentaries about Russian nature, brown bear and rehabilitation of predators, the interaction of man and nature and the need for careful attitude to it.
We conduct scientific work on the study of the ecology and behavior of brown bear in its natural habitat, in particular in the Central Forest state natural biosphere reserve. We monitor the population of brown bears in Tver, Novgorod, Pskov regions and in case of detection of a threat to the population we can timely replenish it with cubs from the Rescue Center. In 2014, a Handbook was published to take into account the number, sex, age and size of the brown bear population based on the meeting cards.
We understand how important from an early age to educate children in love and respect for nature. Our staff regularly holds environmental protection lectures among schoolchildren and youth. More than 10 years we organize children's summer school-practice. We stand for responsible attitude to the world around us, to wildlife, to animals and plants. Understanding the need for ecological and educational work, we participate in the filming of documentaries about Russian nature, brown bear and rehabilitation of predators, the interaction of man and nature and the need for careful attitude to it.
RAISING BEAR CUBS
raising bear cubs
Abandoned cubs usually arrive at the Center in winter or early spring, soon after their birth.
They often arrive at the critical condition, being emaciated, bitten by dogs, or suffering pneumonia resulting from hypothermia.
Sometimes they may be premature, which occurs when a pregnant female bear experiences acute stress that may cause premature birth.
They often arrive at the critical condition, being emaciated, bitten by dogs, or suffering pneumonia resulting from hypothermia.
Sometimes they may be premature, which occurs when a pregnant female bear experiences acute stress that may cause premature birth.
In their first days at the Center, the cubs are provided with 24-hour care; they are bottle-fed every two hours, have a massage after each feeding, are regularly dried and examined, and receive veterinary treatment, if necessary.
In their first days at the Center, the cubs are provided with 24-hour care; they are bottle-fed every two hours, have a massage after each feeding, are regularly dried and examined, and receive veterinary treatment, if necessary.
From the age of 3 months the cubs are trained to eat from the bowls; they are given a thicker milk porridge supplemented with chicken eggs and vitamins.
At this age, bear cubs are able to stand on the floor firmly and even play in a special room equipped with a structure stimulating physical development of baby bears.
At this age, bear cubs are able to stand on the floor firmly and even play in a special room equipped with a structure stimulating physical development of baby bears.
In the late March or early April, with the onset of snow melting, the cubs are moved to the "den-house" located in the enclosure built in the woods. The timing is associated with natural reasons as this is the period when a wild mother brown bear leads her cubs away from a den for the first time.
By this age, the cubs can eat their food from the bowls and easily tolerate fairly cold spring weather.
In the spacious enclosure of 1.3 ha, bear cubs try feeding on the food that is normally consumed by their wild counterparts, explore the surrounding forest areas, and hide in the den-house in the periods of inclement weather. They now feed only 3 or 4 times a day.
By this age, the cubs can eat their food from the bowls and easily tolerate fairly cold spring weather.
In the spacious enclosure of 1.3 ha, bear cubs try feeding on the food that is normally consumed by their wild counterparts, explore the surrounding forest areas, and hide in the den-house in the periods of inclement weather. They now feed only 3 or 4 times a day.
In the late March or early April, with the onset of snow melting, the cubs are moved to the "den-house" located in the enclosure built in the woods. The timing is associated with natural reasons as this is the period when a wild mother brown bear leads her cubs away from a den for the first time.
By this age, the cubs can eat their food from the bowls and easily tolerate fairly cold spring weather.
In the spacious enclosure of 1.3 ha, bear cubs try feeding on the food that is normally consumed by their wild counterparts, explore the surrounding forest areas, and hide in the den-house in the periods of inclement weather. They now feed only 3 or 4 times a day.
By this age, the cubs can eat their food from the bowls and easily tolerate fairly cold spring weather.
In the spacious enclosure of 1.3 ha, bear cubs try feeding on the food that is normally consumed by their wild counterparts, explore the surrounding forest areas, and hide in the den-house in the periods of inclement weather. They now feed only 3 or 4 times a day.
In July, when the cubs reach the age of 7 months, they are provided with the opportunity to leave their enclosure to explore nearest areas and enjoy the taste of green shots, roots, and wild berries, as well as of insect larvae that serve an important source of animal-based protein in the ration of wild brown bears.
This ration helps bears store fat reserves needed for them to get through hibernation during severe winter conditions.
This ration helps bears store fat reserves needed for them to get through hibernation during severe winter conditions.
By the age of 8 to 10 months, most of the bear cubs are prepared for independent life in their natural habitats since they have already acquired all types of behaviour necessary for the survival in the wild and gained enough weight to successfully hibernate through the winter.
By the age of 8 to 10 months, most of the bear cubs are prepared for independent life in their natural habitats since they have already acquired all types of behaviour necessary for the survival in the wild and gained enough weight to successfully hibernate through the winter.
All cubs before going out to the nature are examined by veterinarians, they are tested for parasitic and infectious diseases and are necessarily vaccinated against rabies.
Bear cub releases into the wild take place in the period from August through October, and bear cubs are usually released in the areas where they were found before their arrival to the Center. The employees of the Center use modern monitoring techniques to trace the cubs in the post-release period to check if they adapt well to the life in the wild.
Bear cub releases into the wild take place in the period from August through October, and bear cubs are usually released in the areas where they were found before their arrival to the Center. The employees of the Center use modern monitoring techniques to trace the cubs in the post-release period to check if they adapt well to the life in the wild.
good to know
Center can only rehabilitate orphaned bear cubs that were born in the current year and were not exposed to humans for lengthy periods of time. In exceptional cases, we can help orphaned bear cubs in the second year, if the situation is critical, e.g. in early spring when bears still hibernate in their dens and no food is available in the forest.
Unfortunately, there are several reasons why we cannot rehabilitate and release older bear cubs that either lived with people for some time or were kept in captivity.
Unfortunately, there are several reasons why we cannot rehabilitate and release older bear cubs that either lived with people for some time or were kept in captivity.
press about us
| Wildlife series. Gordon Buchanan joins the Pazhetnovs, a pioneering family of biologists, in snowy Russia to rehabilitate six orphaned grizzly cubs back to the wild. |
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