Ti Map, the moon bear who famously smiled in wonder following his rescue from a bile farm, is slowly putting his past behind him but it’s proving to be a long road to recovery.

Ti Map spent 14 years of his life in a tiny cage on his own in the south of Vietnam where he faced regular bile extractions.

Rescued in 2014 by Animals Asia, his smile as he first tasted his new diet, saw his new home and even stepped out into his own den with a pool and toys, broke hearts across the world. But the mental scars he carries means making the step from cage life to joining an outdoor community of bears is proving to be a challenge.

Bear Manager Sarah Dempsey has looked after Ti Map since he arrived. She said:

“Every bear is an individual. Ti Map has already given flashes of his incredibly warm, gentle personality but there is no doubt that his past has left him troubled. Fundamental to giving the right care for animals is recognising that they are all individuals who progress at their own pace.

“Ti Map isn’t quick to adapt to changes or quick to learn, so we have taken great care in encouraging him to settle but not to rush him or push him too much. It’s a very delicate balance.”

In May 2014, shortly after his arrival, Ti Map was moved to a den where he made a friend in moon bear Joe. This friendship and the fact that he was eating well were taken as good signs he was settling, and led to a move to a larger enclosure - House 2 - in October.

However this step, that gave him the chance to step outside for the first time in 14 years, proved to be too big a challenge, Sarah explained:

“He looked quite comfortable at first but became spooked early on. He obviously needed more time on his own to adjust to the change in surroundings. He mainly ate inside his den and when he did venture outside he would stand on the concrete, fearful of going onto the grass.”

Since the beginning of 2015 his carers have moved Ti Map back and forth between House 2, with its larger enclosure, and House 1 with its relatively smaller outdoor area. This was to encourage his development but both times he appeared to be ready for a bigger area with more bears, he soon became introverted.

Currently Ti Map lives in House 1 along with his old friend Joe, which seems to give him a confidence boost. In July, newly-rescued Bern joined them. It’s a combination that is working well, as they take turns to play and wrestle together. This allows Ti Map the space he sometimes needs, knowing that when he wants time out, Jo and Bern will play along without him.

Sarah added:

“Imagine it - 14 years trapped inside a cage, barely able to stretch out fully or feel the ground beneath his paws, or forage for food as he would in the wild. He’s a big and tall bear as well, so it must have been horrendous for him. He is taking a little longer to adapt but we shouldn’t compare one bear with another too much. Ti Map is Ti Map and we’ll do everything we can to ensure he makes that next step to being a happy, contented bear. One can only imagine what unbearable pain and cruelty he has endured to make him feel so nervous of his new environment. It’s a pain that obviously even now continues inside his head.”

Ti Map is one of the bears available to sponsor via our website. Each rescue means making a commitment to a bear that we will care for them and provide the best possible environment to ensure their future happiness. Bears can live for more than 30 years so this is a huge promise and the costs involve raise year-by-year with more bear rescues. To carry on this work we need people to make this commitment with us. Please join us in granting these bears a better life. For more info click here.

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