'Naughty' new bears damage rescue enclosure

Two brown bears, saved from a cage in Azerbaijan and released into a reserve, have damaged part of their new rescue enclosure.

Brothers Benji and Balu were released into the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight on 4 June.

"The bears, with their notoriously curious nature, managed to dig a hole into these blocks and then proceeded to start sprinkling the polystyrene contents around their enclosure," said chief executive of the zoo Lawrence Bates.

Jokingly he said the "naughty bears" had since been moved into a smaller enclosure while the concrete, used to repair the hole, dries out.

Recycled and sustainable material was used to make the bear platform and the connecting ramp in the bears' new enclosure.

The sanctuary told the BBC, the local marina donated concrete boat floats to build the structure.

Mr Bates said: "We have had to close them into their small enclosure whilst we repair the bricks with concrete today, with the hope that it will dry soon, and we plan to have them back enjoying their enclosure again by Thursday this week."

About two years ago, the bears were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to temporary shelter.

They had been kept in a cage at a restaurant in Azerbaijan to attract customers.

In 2024, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary started a fundraising campaign to pay for the bears' transport and brand new home, with almost £218,000 raised.

Their space measures 3,500sqm (11,483 sqft) and is in-keeping with their natural environment, the zoo said.

Before their release, they were kept in a holding pen while they got used to their new environment.

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