Saved from an unbearable life
BBC2, 8pm
MARY the sun bear – the smallest in the world’s eight species of bears – was destined for a terrible life, kept captive after poachers killed her mum in the wild.
But luckily for her, she was rescued after being spotted on the back of a truck for sale in the illegal wildlife trade.
This documentary follows the plight of some of the bears that are rescued by experts fighting to save them. Many are valued for their bile, used in Asian medicine, resulting in illegal bear bile farms.
Matt Hunt, head of wildlife protection charity Free The Bears, brought Mary home to give the fragile and malnourished five-month-old cub round-theclock care.
He has help from conservationist Giles Clark, who is already on a huge mission, to take on the illegal wildlife trade and also help build a bear sanctuary in Laos.
Giles says: “We need to rescue hundreds of bears from absolutely horrendous conditions but at the same time, build homes for them.”
Mary, who needs to be fed highly fatty formula every two hours to build up her strength, will move to the sanctuary as soon as it’s ready.
Meanwhile, she’s happy padding around the house, exploring.
We also meet three-year-old brothers Tong and Nunge, captured at only a few weeks old and kept in a small cage.
Their mother was killed,and they were sold as pets.
And Giles travels to northern Laos to rescue two vulnerable five-month-old moon bear cubs, and also embarks on a rescue mission to save two aggressive adult moon bears.