Misha and Dasha, two brown bears, spent ten terrible years imprisoned in a tiny cage at an Armenian restaurant. The two, who were used as tourist attractions, would pace back and forth throughout the day in an effort to pass the time.
They frequently banged their heads against the bars of the cage or climbed them; they would do anything to try to find some happiness in their existence.
The cage was immediately next to a riverbank, which made matters worse, and it frequently flooded. The poor bears once nearly drowned when the water levels reached so high.
According to Lis Key, PR and communications manager for International Animal Rescue, “The river overflowed a few years ago, and the bears nearly drowned.” The rescue team had to break through the cages to free them. But it is clear that they were entrapped when the river flooded and were in danger of drowning.
International Animal Rescue (IAR) worked to save these two bears for many years. The restaurant owners were finally persuaded to release the bears into the care of IAR. The Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC) in November 2017.
The two bears were released after the IAR rescue crew hacked through the bars of the metal cage. The bears were tranquilized and sent to their refuge on the mountainside, where they would finally be free to roam and act according to their inclinations.
Misha and Dasha entered a cave shortly after getting to the refuge to hibernate for the winter. And they weren’t alone when they first appeared in the spring of 2018.
Two content and healthy cubs had been born to Dasha.
