Bear rescued from Ukraine finds new home in Scotland

A BLACK bear that survived the war in Ukraine has successfully been rehomed at a zoo in Scotland.

Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, West Lothian, has rehomed Yampil, an Asiatic black bear, from the village of Yampil in Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers discovered an abandoned zoo in the village when they arrived in July 2022. Yampil was one of the few animals to survive the invasion.

Five Sisters heard about Yampil from Belgian animal welfare charity Natuurhulpcentrum, which cared for it after its rescue.

Brian Curran, owner of Five Sisters, West Calder, said: “When the volunteers found Yampil, a shell had not long exploded near his cage ... five more days and they wouldn’t have been able to save him.”

It travelled a total of 690 miles through Poland to the Natuurhulpcentrum animal sanctuary in Belgium,

‘A shell had exploded near his cage … five more days and they wouldn’t have been able to save him’

before being transported to the zoo in West Calder. Yampil arrived safely at Five Sisters yesterday and was transported to a temporary enclosure.

The zoo aims to raise £200,000 for its new home.

Mr Curran said: “We have rescued bears before and have some terrific facilities. However, Yampil is the first rescued Asiatic black bear we will care for, and he requires a whole new enclosure to match his special needs.

“We are well aware of the cost of living crisis, but should anyone be in a position to help, we would really welcome their support.”

Asiatic black bears are classed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.

Yampil the bear is settling into a temporary enclosure at Five Sisters Zoo, Scotland. A fund to raise £200,000 for its permanent new base has been opened