UPDATE
Rescued from suffering: Milla, Shama and Lala
It has been a hopeful year for the bears of Pakistan. More are being rescued and freed from the cruel blood sport of bear baiting – in which bears are tied up by their owners to then be attacked and mauled by trained dogs as people watch for their entertainment. Saving bears from this life of suffering is only made possible by WSPA supporters’ dedication to stopping such cruelty. We’ve received happy news from our local partner in Pakistan, the Bioresource Research Centre (BRC), about three recently rescued Asiatic Black bears. Two out of the three bears, Milla (meaning gracious) and Shama (which means candle) pictured above, have recovered from the injuries they sustained in bear baiting contests and have joined the other rescued bears at the WSPA-funded sanctuary.
Time to heal The third rescued bear is Lala, meaning tulip. Lala is still in the quarantine area of the sanctuary, as she has a severe injury to her muzzle that has not yet healed. BRC staff have been monitoring her health carefully and we’ll keep WSPA supporters updated on her progress.
Milla – the gracious one Milla is around five years old and has a reddish/black shaggy coat. She bears the scars of her many bear baiting encounters on her muzzle and is blind in one eye. Since her arrival at the sanctuary, her health has improved thanks to expert care from sanctuary staff. Milla confidently left her quarantine enclosure and staff say that she’s enjoying her food and exploring her new home with Shama.
Shama – the candle Shama is also about five years old and has a thick black coat. When Shama was rescued, her muzzle was badly injured, but she is now healed and healthy. Shama is often spotted sitting peacefully with Milla in the grounds of the sanctuary among the shrubs and long grass. Dr Fakhar-i-Abbas, founder and director of the BRC told WSPA News “It’s always lovely to see the bears being released into the sanctuary and watch them starting their new life.”
You make it possible It’s all down to the amazing generosity of WSPA supporters that these bears have been rescued and can now live out the rest of their days free from the fear, pain and suffering that dominated their lives for so long. The fight to end bear baiting is not over, but rest assured that with your continued support, WSPA and BRC will keep working to stamp out this terrible practice.
News just in: three more bears rescued At the time of going to press, there was more good news. Thanks to you, three more bears have been rescued from bear baiting. Reech, meaning bear, Pari, meaning fairy and Shabna, meaning dew are all recovering well in the quarantine area of the sanctuary.
Write your own fairytale
WSPA supporters are an essential part of the story of rescued bears. To celebrate the launch of WSPA’s Big Bear Build appeal, (see page 8), WSPA News is inviting supporters to be inspired by our very own Hansel and Gretel (above) and write a short (400 words max) animal-based fairytale. Read the real Hansel and Gretel’s extraordinary story on page 7. The winning story will be published on WSPA UK’s website, so set your inner creative spirit free and get writing!
How to enter:
Please send your story to arrive by Monday 23 April 2012 and include your name and address. Email your story to: wspanews@wspa.org.uk Or post to: WSPA News, WSPA, 5th Floor, 222 Grays Inn Road, London, WC1X 8HB We’re sorry we won’t be able to return any postal entries, so you may want to keep a copy.
What are QR codes? QR means Quick Response code. They are printed codes, scanned using a mobile Smartphone – a phone that allows access to the internet and contains applications, known as ‘apps’.
Why use QR codes?
At WSPA, we want to bring our supporters closer to the animals you help, by giving you information quickly and easily. Scanning the QR codes with your Smartphone will take you straight to the WSPA website, where you can watch wonderful videos and see photos of animals – just with a few clicks on your mobile Smartphone.
How to use QR codes
Open up the QR app (you will need to download the app first) and hold it over any of the QR codes printed in WSPA News. Try scanning the QR code above to watch videos of bears in their forest home. Look out for more QR codes in WSPA News and access exciting new information about the animals you help.
WSPA NEWS | ISSUE 12
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