Two Bears Rescued from Cruel Captivity in Azerbaijan to Find New Life at UK Sanctuary
Two bears named Benji and Balu are set to start a new chapter after being rescued from horrific conditions at a restaurant in Azerbaijan. The bears were discovered living in a tiny cage, suffering from emaciation and serious injuries, kept as little more than a tourist attraction to draw customers to the restaurant.
The rescue was carried out by the Azerbaijani charity Good World Animal Rescue and Protection (GWARP), which found the bears in a severely neglected state alongside 13 other captive bears in the woods. After ruling the captivity illegal, the charity took them under its care.
Recognizing the bears’ dire need for a proper home, the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight launched a fundraising campaign and successfully raised more than £225,000 to build a “world-leading” facility specially designed for bears rescued from similar situations.
The new sanctuary, spanning 3,500 square meters (about 37,700 square feet), offers a spacious, natural environment complete with ponds, streams, grass, trees, and hibernation spots—elements essential for bears to thrive. Benji and Balu will be the first residents of this bespoke facility, designed to help them recover fully and experience what it means to live like bears again.
The sanctuary’s marketing director, Lee Saudan, emphasized that many bears across Europe suffer in poor conditions with few places available for rescue or rehabilitation. “We will provide them with bespoke care plans to ensure that they recover from the trauma they have experienced, with a forever home that will allow them to be bears again,” Saudan said.
Plans are underway to fly the two bears from Baku to the Isle of Wight in June on a flight sponsored by the airline Cargolux, marking the next step in their journey toward recovery and a peaceful life.
Benji and Balu’s story shines a light on the ongoing issue of captive wild animals being used as attractions and highlights the growing efforts by charities and sanctuaries to rescue, rehabilitate, and provide permanent safe homes for these vulnerable creatures.