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Cambodian sun bears Jamran and Bopha had a rough start but their luck turned around after wildlife groups rescued them and moved them to Perth Zoo in South Perth, Australia.
The zoo recently gave animal lovers a behind-the-scenes look at two bears’ health checks on Facebook.
While the bears have been with Perth Zoo for 15 years, the zoo notes that “regular medical check-ups” help them ensure Jamran and Bopha are safe The “top form” comes after the two bears spent years as “victims of the illegal wildlife trade”.
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Before arriving at the zoo in January 2007, these vulnerable bears were poached as cubs and living in less than ideal conditions.
Jamran was found tied up at a Cambodian restaurant, where he was kept as a menu option. The confinement resulted in long-term damage to Jamran’s claws.
Bopha, on the other hand, was kept as an “illegal household pet”.
Wildlife veterinarians at Perth Zoo, Australia, conduct health checks while sun bears are under anesthesia.
(Perth Zoo)
At the zoo’s veterinary hospital, medical experts closely monitor Jamran and Bopha’s physical condition, dental health and joint mobility.
Perth Zoo senior media and communications coordinator Kelly Martin told Fox News Digital: “These bears come from a tough background and our keepers invest a lot of time building relationships with them to make sure they’re comfortable.”
Sun bears are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, and there are two subspecies – the Malayan sun bear and the Borneo sun bear – of varying sizes.
The bear’s activities include “a lot of hand-feeding and intensive training,” Martin said.
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Free the Bears, Australia’s wildlife conservation and animal welfare organisation, is the organisation that saved Jamran and Bopha. The organization works with local communities and governments in Asia to save sun bears.
The animals were transferred to Perth Zoo at the age of 6 (Jamran) and 4 (Bopha) and made their first public appearance in February 2007.
Fast forward to 2022—the bears will receive regular health checks, special diets, and enrichment activities.
This month’s check-up found Jamran and Bopha to be healthy and just needed “a good tartar and polish to remove some of the calculus buildup on the teeth”.
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Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins, a senior veterinarian at Perth Zoo Veterinary Hospital, said: “The X-rays and mobility tests were especially important for Jamran, who suffered some long-term injuries as his claws were tied before he was rescued.” draft.
“We like to keep a close eye on his paws to make sure he doesn’t have any pain or mobility issues that might need treatment,” she continued.
Perth Zoo added that Jamran and Bopha “appeared to be healthy”.
According to National Geographic, sun bears typically live up to 25 years in the wild.
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The world’s oldest sun bear on record is a male gong from Tokuyama Zoo in Yamaguchi, Japan, who lived to be 32 years old.
Sun bears are native to the tropical forests of Southeast Asia, and there are two subspecies – the Malayan sun bear and the Borneo sun bear – of varying sizes.
Sun bears Jamron and Bopha have worked at Perth Zoo for 15 years. Australian wildlife conservation and animal welfare organisation Free the Bears rescued the animals by January 2007.
(Perth Zoo)
Typically, they have black fur with brown patterns and curved claws; they can grow to four to five feet long; and they weigh between 60 and 150 pounds.
The exact population size is uncertain, but sun bears are considered a vulnerable species, according to the international conservation nonprofit WWF.
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Poaching, resource reduction and habitat loss are considered threats to sun bears.