Black bear rescued by Ukrainian soldiers from Russian war finds new home in UK

12 January 2024 , 10:00

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Yampil the bear at Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland (Image: PA)

A black bear who was rescued by Ukrainian soldiers during the Russian invasion has finally found a new home at a zoo in Scotland.

Five Sisters Zoo in West Calder, West Lothian, has rehomed an Asiatic black bear named Yampil from the village of Yampil in Ukraine. Soldiers discovered an abandoned zoo in the village when they arrived in July 2022, five months after Vladimir Putin declared war on Russia's neighbouring country.

Out of nearly 200 animals at the zoo, Yampil the bear was one of the few animals to survive the invasion. According to the United Nations, more than 13 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homes since the beginning of Russia's all-out war, including seven million refugees and 6.5 million internally displaced.

Yampil was rescued from the village of Yampil in Ukraine (PA)

Countless animals were left behind, forced to fight for survival amid Russian attacks and cold weather Staff at Five Sisters heard about the bear from Belgian animal welfare charity Natuurhulpcentrum, which cared for Yampil in the time between his recuse and the search for his permanent home.

“When we were made aware of the awful treatment and conditions Yampil was subjected to, our hearts broke; we were just so amazed he was still alive and well,” said Brian Curran, owner of Five Sisters Zoo. Mr Curran added: “When the volunteers found Yampil, a shell had not long exploded near his cage, and he was concussed.

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The bear was found in an abandoned zoo after Russia invaded Ukraine (PA)

“He was in terrible condition; five more days and they wouldn’t have been able to save him. Bears, just like people, can suffer mental health issues similar to post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) after they’ve been through something really traumatic.

“That’s why we have the best team on hand to care for him and help make this transition as peaceful and calm for him as possible.” Yampil arrived at the zoo in the early hours of Friday and was safely transported to his temporary enclosure where zoo staff hope he will have a peaceful hibernation.

The conditions of the zoo in Yampil, Ukraine, where the bear was rescued from (PA)

The zoo has a fundraising target of £200,000 for Yampil’s new home, enclosure and upkeep. So far, £60,000 has been raised from individual donations and from local businesses donating materials to build Yampil’s home.

Mr Curran added: “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.

The zoo has a fundraising target of £200,000 for Yampil’s new home, enclosure and upkeep (Stuart Vance/ReachPlc)

“That’s why Yampil is now settling into a temporary enclosure where he will continue his recovery, or go into hibernation; this will give us time to continue to fundraise for his permanent enclosure and work on building this with the support of our community. We are well aware of the cost-of-living crisis and of people’s difficult financial situations, but should anyone be in a position to help, we would really welcome their support and generous donations.”

Chiara Fiorillo