Ti Map arrived at our sanctuary with a movie-star smile and an unmistakeable ursine charisma - his journey to shed his caged past has been slow but he’s winning his battle.

Once rescued bears arrive they are moved to quarantine. Then to a larger den. From there carers manage their steps towards enjoying the outdoors and the company of other bears.

For some bears it is all about the physical readjustment. They need to get fit to handle the rigours of moon bear play. For others the biggest hurdle is mental. Ti Map is one such bear. He spent 14 years in a small cage in Vietnam and that cruelty is taking time to forget. But this gentle bear is improving - at his own pace.

Rescued two and a half years ago - 10 months after his rescue we reported.

20 January 2015

Animals Asia Bear Manager, Sarah Dempsey, said:

"Thankfully, Ti Map is doing much better now and is standing on the grass. He is still not wholly comfortable with the great outdoors and shows a preference for being inside, but it is not uncommon for bears that have been kept caged for so long to react this way. He needs to learn to trust and realise life with a natural enclosure and opportunity to forage really can be much better than what used to be the norm for him

"Sadly, our observations over the last months have shown that Ti Map reacts differently to ‘normal' things compared to other bears. He is jumpier, less assured, more easily frightened and quite often slower to react to his environment – even treats and toys.

"His sole focus is usually foraging – especially in the comfort zone of his den. He gets very upset when growled at by other bears and often looks quite confused. Around feeding time he can occasionally squabble with other bears as he gets worked up waiting for his evening meal.

"He doesn't initiate much play with others but will wrestle with boys like Parley, Milagro and Raymond who are gentle playful bears if they initiate interaction when there is no more food to be eaten.

"Adapting to a completely different way of life is rarely easy for mentally damaged bears like Ti Map and it'll take time for him to learn how to interact with other bears and his new environment, but we're seeing a gentle and docile personality emerging."

03 September 2015

By this stage Ti Map had been moved between House 2 with its larger enclosure and the smaller House 1 a number of times. This was to encourage his development. But each time, while he gave the impression of being ready for the step up, he soon became introverted again.

Instead his carers settled him with Joe - a bear he was comfortable with. Shortly after Bern was rescued he joined them too in a sectioned off area. It’s a combination that worked well, as they take turns to play and wrestle together. This allows Ti Map the space he sometimes needs, knowing that when he wants time out, Jo and Bern will play along without him.

Sarah said:

“Imagine it - 14 years trapped inside a cage, barely able to stretch out fully or feel the ground beneath his paws, or forage for food as he would in the wild. He’s a big and tall bear as well, so it must have been horrendous for him. He is taking a little longer to adapt but we shouldn’t compare one bear with another too much. Ti Map is Ti Map and we’ll do everything we can to ensure he makes that next step to being a happy, contented bear. One can only imagine what unbearable pain and cruelty he has endured to make him feel so nervous of his new environment. It’s a pain that obviously even now continues inside his head.”

September 2016

Today Ti Map continues to make progress - still as part of this trio of bears who look after each other.

Bear Manager Louise Ellis said:

“Ti Map currently still resides with his good friends Bern and Joe. Since being integrated with the other two boys in this smaller enclosure his confidence has improved and he now goes outside daily into the enclosure.

“He enjoys his food and spends a long time searching for it outside. He still prefers to spend time alone, but he is content in the company of the other two bears even if he doesn’t spend too much time playing with them. Instead he prefers to swim in the pool or come back inside to the den. He loves a snooze and we often see him lying on his belly sleeping peacefully.

“He is a gentle bear who enjoys the quiet life. He has come a long way since his first brave steps into the sunshine.”

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