#MoonBearMonday: real life bear hugs!
13 April 2015
Happy #MoonBearMonday everyone!
We caught this adorable bonding session of two moon bear besties as they hug, wrestle and roll on the grass.
The intimate moment was taken as Bodo and Monkey relaxed together at Animals Asia's Chengdu Bear Rescue Centre.
Life at the sanctuary allows bears rescued from the bile industry to reactivate their natural instincts after years and sometimes decades of abuse.
Vietnam and China's bear bile industries see bears held in tiny cages so that needles can be inserted into their gall bladders to extract bile. The painful and invasive process will see many bears die of tumors, but some have been unfortunate enough to survive 30 years of this living hell.
Once rescued, the rehabilitation process is long and requires constant care from a dedicated team of vets and bear managers.
But when we catch moments of intimate bliss like this – of friendship, instinct and joy – we're reminded why it's all worth it, and why we can never give up while a single bear remains a victim of the industry.
Play on, beautiful moon bears – there are enough bear hugs to go around.
Hope you all have a fantastic day and give someone you love the #BearHug they deserve this #MoonBearMonday.
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