“When Jasper came to us, he was rake-thin (128kgs), much of his fur was missing from years of rubbing against his cage, his teeth were badly worn down from bar biting, and he had a metal catheter implanted in his abdomen.
Jasper was cut from a coffin-sized ‘crush cage’— this means it was fitted with a grille that the farmer used to push down on his body to flatten him to the bottom of his cage, to make it easier to extract his bile. The pain Jasper was in, and had been in for 15 years, is impossible to imagine.
Today, Jasper is our happy, handsome poster boy for bears. After surgery, months of rehabilitation, tasty food and tender, loving care, the real Jasper emerged. This lovable rascal is now a healthy 30 kilograms heavier and stands six feet tall. He is our gentle peacemaker known to separate aggressive younger bears — and his delightful antics and distinctive golden eyebrows win over everyone he meets.
Amazingly, given the horrific treatment Jasper was subjected to for so many years, this cheeky fellow is as comfortable in human company as he is with the other bears, even coming when he is called (particularly when there’s a jar of peanut butter involved); so complete is his trust in his carers, that he’ll even lick the gooey treat from their fingers. Playing for hours with the exuberance of a child, Jasper is determined not to miss a minute of his new life of fun.
Jasper will be just one of the many gorgeous bears you’ll meet during your visit to the China Bear Rescue Centre.”
-Jill Robinson, Founder and CEO of Animals Asia Foundation
Founded by Jill Robinson in 1998, Animals Asia Foundation is devoted to the welfare of wild and urban animals and to the conservation of endangered species. At present, they have 250 rescued bears at the sanctuaries in China and Vietnam and over the years, they’ve rescued a total of 350 bears. They work with conservation leaders in China to make whole provinces bear-farm free and to reduce the demand for bile in Asia by promoting effective cruelty-free alternatives.
The China Moon Bear Rescue Centre covers 31.62 acres at Longqiao village, Chengdu. The sanctuary is home to over 160 bears who, after years of torture on bile farms, are provided with the best possible facilities to allow them to live out the rest of their lives, safe and secure in the company of other bears.
You can visit the China Moon Bear Rescue Centre at the China Moon Bear Challenge – learn more information here.
I bow down hulbmy in the presence of such greatness.
Thanks Lynda. Animals Asia is really a phenomenal charity doing great work in China. Call us on 1300-905-188 to learn more about what they do and how you can get involved!