People who sat alongside a river at a restaurant in Armenia were used to witnessing two huge brown bears in cages during their meal. Misha and Dasha reportedly lived off scraps left by diners and had been in their steel prison for the best part of 10 years.
But an online campaign has seen them finally released.
Authorities descended on the area in the capital Yerevan, where they used power tools to break down the cage walls. The bears were sedated and transported to a new enclosure higher up in the mountains.
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Credit: Roger Allen
Credit: Roger Allen
It's believed that Misha and Dasha will be the first of about 80 brown bears to be freed within Armenia, thanks to work done by the International Animal Rescue organisation and the Federation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets.
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The two groups have worked tirelessly to secure the safety of the bears and get them out of their poverty-like conditions. The IAR's website says many bears are kept in these cramped cages with barely any water or food, which seriously impacts their mental health.
It adds: "They are given unsuitable and insufficient food and no environmental enrichment to distract and amuse them. The bears have been deprived of their dignity and their freedom. They lack everything they need to live life as nature intended."
Credit: Roger Allen
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The organisation posted a video to social media several days ago, highlighting the bear's plight. One viewer wrote: "No real words can express the depths of what one feels while watching this. How someone could treat beautiful fellow beings like this."
They were instrumental in getting rid of dancing bears in India and targeted Armenia shortly afterwards following reports of their abominable conditions. Bears were allegedly being found not only in restaurants, but also in factories and bus depots across the country as tourist attractions.
Credit: Roger Allen
The IAR has constructed a safe sanctuary where Misha and Dasha will go and hopefully many more than get rescued.
IAR Chief Executive Alan Knight, has told the Daily Mail: "I can't thank the Armenian government enough, particularly the environment ministry, for their help in allowing this rescue to go ahead.
"Many of them relieve their boredom and frustration by pacing endlessly to and fro, banging their heads against the walls or climbing up the bars, searching frantically for an escape route. It is heart breaking and we are determined to bring it to end."
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Sources: Daily Mail, IAR
Topics: World News, News, Rescue