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'Siberia is a home to the cultures of indigenes, including people whose ancestors migrated to the Americas'

A.J. Haywood

Wailing orphaned bears rescued after mother shot, her paws severed and gallbladder cut out

By The Siberian Times reporter

12 April 2017

Poachers left the cubs to die, but hunter found them - and brought them to a stable which nursed them to back to health.

Four brown bear cubs rescued after mother bear brutally killed by poachers. Picture: TVK

The four orphaned cubs - three female and one male - are now safe after being rescued in Krasnoyarsk region.

Hunter Alexey Koposhko, from Kozulka village, said: 'I came across a destroyed den and immediately saw mother bear with all her paws cut and gallbladder extracted.

'Four bear cubs were screaming inside the den.

'I guess a day or even two had passed since the mother was killed.

'I returned to pick them up on Saturday morning, that would make four days that they spent inside the den.

'They were weak, quiet, as if very sleepy - not surprising, given how long they had spent without food.

As soon as they got first meal, they felt better and got a lot more active. Pictures: TVK

'As soon as they got their first meal, they felt better and got a lot more active, crawling all around the place.'

He brought the bears to Brave Heart horse riding club in Krasnoyarsk region, which temporarily adopted the cubs.

One had to be taken to a vet because it was very weak.

But after being fed all have responded. They are now drinking milk four milk four times a day.

All four cubs felt much better. Pictures: TVK

Maria Tretyakova, the club's administrator, said: 'While the cubs are tiny we will do our best to look after them.

'But soon we'll need to find foster families for them.

'They won't be able to live in the stable forever.

'We are asking zoos and circuses for help.'

One of the cubs, the male, has been adopted already by a private person.

They won’t be able to live in the stable forever. Pictures: TVK

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The mother just killed for her paws and galbladder for the asian market.... How sick and depraved these poachers are in regards to life.. I Hope the chinese will soon realise that poacher's testicles and organs are far more valuable!
DEATH PENALTY FOR POACHING!!!!

Bart, Holland

19/05/2017 23:38

Congratulations Alexey by your respect and care by animals . Siberian needs more severe laws about animals.

natercio silva, Brazil

17/04/2017 10:57

Thanks for taking them in!

Gary Krebs, Just another bear habitat in the world

14/04/2017 07:07

we must defened them in any cose !!

DAN LEON, גרמניה

14/04/2017 05:04

Thanks Ksenia for these informations. Indeed good job with endangered Amur Tiger and Leopard in Siberia.
Yes Pamela all nation are accountable. It seems, since few days, there are problems, disturbing informations about wildlife in ALASKA.

Jocelyne, FRANCE

13/04/2017 13:18

Katherine Swart, sadly no such places in Siberia for bears... There is a wildlife centre 'Chisty Les' related to the reintroduction of orphaned bears into the wild, but it is located in Tver region, in thousands kilometres from Krasnoyarsk to the west. Also there is wildlife centre Utes in Khabarovsk region (it is Russian Far East, also thousands kilometres from Krasnoyarsk, but to the east), but they take only black (Asian) bears. At the moment state money go for the rehabilitation of endangered species - Amur tigers and Far Eastern leopards, so we can only pray and hope that one day there will some special program for brown bears.

Ksenia, Omsk

13/04/2017 10:42

You are asking zoos or circuses? Is there not a better option for these bears that a life a place like that? Some kind of protected sanctuary. No life for a bear in a zoo, much less a circus.Also private people should not be allowed to take on wild animals

Katherine Swart, New Zealand

13/04/2017 03:08

Thank you to the hunter for your compassion and to everyone rescuing these cubs. Please, we all need to stand up for holding poachers as well as "purchasers" accountable. Also, having grown up in Canada, I am mortified that we continue to have a seal hunt as well as bear trophy hunts and here in the United States, the Fish and Wildlife Service use taxpayer money to annihilate American wildlife (WildEarth Guardians). All nations are accountable, I hope we can all please agree on that.

Pamela Tetarenko, League City, USA

13/04/2017 03:05

Russia needs to set a precedent when dealing with poachers, by having them publicly executed. NO exceptions!

Paul, Canada

12/04/2017 21:21

I thought Russians held bears in special regard, but the truth is the animals are treated worse here than anywhere on earth.

Josh, Canada

12/04/2017 18:57