Orphaned bear cubs find refuge at Türkiye wildlife center

BURSA, TÜRKİYE - JULY 5, 2025: A wildlife center in Türkiye is nurturing two orphaned bear cubs rescued from the wild, offering them a second chance at life. The bear cubs named Bulut and Yagmur — meaning Cloud and Rain — are being raised with special care at Ovakorusu Celal Acar Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in northwestern Türkiye's Bursa province. The cubs were rescued earlier this year from rural areas in Karabuk and Bingol cities and were brought to the country’s only bear shelter for protection and rehabilitation. As part of the Libearty Bear Project, launched in 1994, the rehabilitation center has been caring for bears rescued from miserable living conditions across the country. The bear cubs, now five months old and weighing around 20 kilograms each, are fed six to eight times a day on a special diet of lactose-free milk, kefir, honey, eggs, cream, pears, apples, and quinces. Staff track their weight daily and allow them to explore green spaces to simulate a natural environment. Shelter supervisor Azizcan Sezer said the cubs will remain in the nursery until they are about one year old, after which they will move to a larger outdoor area and eventually to the adult section when they reach maturity at around age three.(Footage by Fatih Capkin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)