Help rescue captive bears in need
Your Support Can Make a Difference in the Life of a Captive Bear
Bear Alert
Have you seen a captive bear and are you concerned about its welfare? If so, we want to hear from you!
By reporting a captive bear that you believe is in trouble, you can help us to help the bear. Your report will support us to take the necessary action and hopefully it marks the start of a new life for this bear.
Thank you for caring and taking the time to help us help to them.
Bear Alerts in progress - an example
Bear in a cage in Bosnia
Location: Bosnia Herzegovina
Tourist Complex “Eko Fis”
Šišava, Municipality of Travnik
Species: European brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos)
Sex: Female named 'Gary'
Owner: Private
Condition: Poor enclosure of 10x10 mtr, reasonable health
Current status: Private zoo, owners do not have the appropriate permits.
Help us give captive bears a second chance!
This is why you should report a bear in need:
Bears are iconic animals, part of our natural world, but they are facing many challenges. Habitat destruction and loss of suitable space to live, human-caused mortality like illegal hunting, trade in bear parts for traditional medicines, but also keeping bears as pets or in private 'zoos'. Cubs are illegally traded and end up behind bars, living their lives under unsuitable and in miserable conditions. By reporting any captive bear that you come across, you can help us to help them. Your report will support us to take the appropriate action and prevent other bears from ending up in similar conditions.
About us
Bear Alert is developed by Bears in Mind & Foundation for Bears to keep track of the many captive bears, often living under horrible conditions, in order to help as many individuals as possible.
Over time, both organizations gathered information on more than 850 (with some overlap) of these bears in captivity. Some of them have already been rescued from their miserable existence and brought to a proper facility where the much needed care and space could be offered. Other bears unfortunately died before we could do anything. Some individuals vanished... But many are still waiting for a better life.
