Traumatised by war, animals find safe haven in Jordan
JERASH: For over a year after being moved to a Jordanian wildlife reserve from war-hit Syria, two bears, Loz and Sukkar, would cower whenever planes flew by, traumatised by past bombardments.
They are among dozens of animals rescued from regional war zones and brought to Jordan’s Al-Ma’wa For Nature and Wildlife.
The sanctuary located in Jerash province north of Amman was set up by the Princess Alia Foundation, named after the king’s sister, in cooperation with the international animal welfare group Four Paws.
Sukkar (sugar in Arabic) and Loz (almond) are Asian black bears who were trapped by war in the Magic World Zoo outside Aleppo, Syria, before being rescued in 2017.
“When they were brought here they were terrified by the sounds of aircraft, especially helicopters. For more than a year, they would hide in a room inside their pens each time they heard planes go by,” said caretaker Khaled Ayasra.
The black bears are among 26 animals – eight lions, 12 lionesses, two Bengal tigers and four bears – that live in the 1.4sq km sanctuary in a wooded mountainous region.
Most were rescued from Syria, where the conflict has raged since 2011, as well as the conflict-riddled Gaza Strip where Israel has fought three wars since 2008 with the territory’s rulers Hamas.
Martin Bauer, spokesman for the Vienna-based Four Paws, said most of the animals were in poor physical and psychological condition before being rescued and were “often sensitive to loud noises”.
“They are emaciated, their teeth are in bad condition ... they suffer from psychological trauma,” he said.
Before they reach the sanctuary, the animals are taken to New Hope Centre, a veterinary clinic linked to the Jerash reserve, where they are given medical care.
Some are then sent back to their country of origin, while others are released into the wild or brought to the sanctuary to start a new life.
“At our sanctuaries, the animals have the chance to recover from the hardships of their past and very often, their natural instincts come back after a while,” said Bauer.
He said proper food and medical care are “extremely vital” for their well-being, but the animals must also be able to trust their carers and regain self-confidence.
Loz and Sukkar have made huge strides since coming to Jordan.
“They are happier and love to play and meet visitors,” said Ayasra.
Workers at the sanctuary use various means to help the animals recover. They are given a balanced diet, toys to play with and even aromatherapy treatment – natural herbs and spices placed in pails in their pens – to help them relax.
Al-Ma’wa chief executive officer Marek Trela said the sanctuary aims to “give a better life to animals who have suffered in different ways”.
The reserve “is very similar to their natural habitat” and helps them thrive as they return to an uncrowded, natural environment, he said.
“If they like to see people they can ... if they don’t want to, they hide in the forest and live their own life. That’s what we are trying to give them after the hard time they had.”