Working to end the tradition of bear baiting in Pakistan

Bears are stripped of their freedom and endure immense pain before they even have to face a battle; with their canine teeth often broken, their claws likely removed and their sensitive muzzle pierced with an agonising nose ring.

With your help, we have been working with the Pakistan Bioresource Research Centre (BRC) to move the people of Pakistan to bring a permanent end to bear baiting.

Meet Nahla and Sukhi. Thanks to you, instead of facing the daily horrors of bear baiting, these two new friends now wake up in the safe and peaceful surroundings of the Balkasar bear sanctuary in Pakistan.

Five year old Nahla, which means drink of water, has spent her entire life enduring pain and terror, being pitted against dogs in the bear baiting ring. When we found her she was malnourished, with barely enough food to survive.

It was after long and hard negotiation with her owner, helping him understand there could be a better future away from the brutality of bear baiting, not just for Nahla, but for him too, that we could convince him to surrender Nahla.

Nahla’s owner now runs a local general store, and Nahla is getting used to her new life at the sanctuary.  She was stressed, underweight, and a little anaemic when she entered in January. But, with her nose ring removed, she is now recovering in quarantine, and getting stronger every day.

Nahla, also has a new buddy, Sukhi, which means happy. The four year old Asiatic black bear, joined the sanctuary at the same time as Nahla, and the pair quickly bonded.

Sukhi has been used for bear baiting since she was a cub. She has only ever known fear and misery in her short life. When she entered the sanctuary, the youngster was too weak to even be examined. All we could do was remove her nose ring and feed her up with lots of vitamins

But things are looking up for Sukhi, she is getting healthier, and with her new friend Nahla, can look now forward to a better life in the safe surroundings of the sanctuary.

We couldn’t change the lives of bears without you. You help us to move ever closer to ending bear baiting across Pakistan - but there is still much work ahead.

Read more about how with your support, we continue to move towards ending the needless suffering of animals in the name of entertainment.

Heartbreakingly, they spend their entire lives in a space not much bigger than a swimming pool