5 Bears
Author Rob Laidlaw ISBN 9781554556045 Binding PDF Web Ready Document Publisher Fitzhenry & Whiteside eBooks Publication Date April 21, 2022 Size 0 x 0 mmOur relationship with bears is complex. Some people think of bears as big, cuddly pets, while others see them as dangerous, wild animals. Many people want bears left undisturbed in the wild, while others want to hunt and kill them, confine them in zoos or use them for their fur, meat or body parts.
It's clear that bears are popular animals almost everywhere in the world. They're featured in fables, cartoons, children's books, television shows, documentary films and other media.
In 5 Bears we profile two bears that have become famous: Winnie, the real bear that led to the story Winnie the Pooh, and Wojtek, the soldier bear who became a war hero. We also talk about lesser known bears like Yupi, a polar bear who lived in Mexico, Jasper, who was rescued from a bear farm in China, and Vince who now lives at a sanctuary in the United States.
We hope their stories show what their lives were, and are, really like and the issues and challenges that all bears face. There are many myths and misunderstandings about bears. In 5 Bears we hope to set the record straight and convince you that bears deserve our respect, compassion and protection.
Today, bears in the wild are threatened and many bears in captivity are suffering. They need our help to ensure they survive and prosper in the years ahead. Our hope that after reading this book you'll decide it's time for you to do your part to help bears.
Rob Laidlaw
has spent the past 30 plus years campaigning to protect wild animals in captivity and in the wild. His work has taken him from the polar north to tropical Asia and includes more than 1,000 visits to zoos around the world. A Chartered Biologist, avid outdoorsman, and cave explorer, he is a founder of the wildlife protection organization Zoocheck Canada.
CONTENTS
Introduction by Rob Laidlaw
CHAPTER 1: The Bear Facts
CHAPTER 2: Built Like a Bear
CHAPTER 3: Bear Life
CHAPTER 4: One Bear: Yupi the Mexican Polar Bear
CHAPTER 5: Bear Captivity
CHAPTER 6: Two Bears: Winnie, the World?s Most Famous Bear
CHAPTER 7: Using Bears
CHAPTER 8: Three Bears: The Uncaging of Jasper
CHAPTER 9: Humans and Wild Bears
CHAPTER 10: Four Bears: Wojtek the Soldier Bear
CHAPTER 11: Getting Along with Bears
CHAPTER 12: Five Bears: A New Home for Vince
CHAPTER 13: Hope for Bears
Ways to Help Bears
Organizations that Protect Bears
Glossary
Index
Bibliography
Image Credits
Introduction
It was late in the evening as I was driving north on the IcefieldsParkway from Alberta's Banff National Park to Jasper National Parkwhen I noticed a brown shape on a grassy area beside the highway. AsI approached I saw it was a grizzly bear. Then, to my great surprise,I also saw two cubs. It was a mother and her babies. No one else wasaround. I was alone with the three bears. I sat in the car and watchedthem play and forage in the grass and nearby bushes. About 10 minuteslater, they slowly ambled away and vanished into the trees.
Just 30 minutes later, I encountered two young black bearsplaying rough-and-tumble with each other as they moved along theedge of the forest before running down a steep embankment onto agravel covered riverbank. I watched them through my binoculars.They seemed to be having fun as they travelled east along the river,until they finally disappeared over a faraway ridge.
Throughout the years, I've encountered a lot of bears. Sometimesthey were wild, like the ones I've described above, but hundreds havebeen in captivity, confined in zoos and circuses. As a professionalanimal advocate I've done my best to help bears by conductingcampaigns to end their neglect, abuse and suffering and to keepthem in the wild, where they belong.
Our relationship with bears is complex. Some people think ofbears as big, cuddly pets, while others see them as dangerous, wildanimals. Many people want bears left undisturbed in the wild, whileothers want to hunt and kill them, confine them in zoos or use themfor their fur, meat or body parts.
It's clear that bears are popular animals almost everywhere inthe world. They're featured in fables, cartoons, children's books,television shows, documentary films and other media. In 5 BearsI mention two that have become famous: Winnie, the real bear thatled to the story Winnie the Pooh, and Wojtek, the soldier bear whobecame a war hero. I also talk about lesser known bears like Yupi,a polar bear who lived in Mexico, Jasper, who was rescued from abear farm in China, and Vince who now lives at a sanctuary in theUnited States I hope their stories show what their lives were, andare, really like and the issues and challenges that all bears face
There are many myths and misunderstandings about bears In5 Bears I hope to set the record straight and convince you that bearsdeserve our respect, compassion and protection Today, bears in thewild are threatened and many bears in captivity are suffering. Theyneed our help to ensure they survive and prosper in the years aheadI hope after reading this book you'll decide it's time for you to doyour part to help bears
Rob Laidlaw
Award-winning children's author
Executive Director, Zoocheck
Organizations That Protect Bears
Animals Asia
www.animalsasia.org
Arcturos
www.arcturos.gr/en
Bear With Us Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre
bearwithus.org
Black Bear Rescue Manitoba
manitobabearrehabilitationcentre.ca
Four Paws
www.four-paws.org.uk
Free the Bears
freethebears.org
Get Bear Smart Society
www.bearsmart.com
Great Bear Foundation
greatbear.org
Raincoast Conservation Foundation
https://www.raincoast.org
The Wild Animal Sanctuary
https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org
Wildlife SOS
wildlifesos.org
Wisconsin Black Bear Education Center
wisconsinblackbears.com
World Animal Protection
www.worldanimalprotection.ca
Zoocheck
www.zoocheck.com