While people around the world enjoyed the holiday season, the bears did too by swinging, sleeping, dancing and even snorkelling their way into 2017.

Snorkelling:

Hartley is blind and missing a paw – likely from a hunter’s snare – but that doesn’t stop him enjoying a swim. During the festive season, Hartley took his underwater adventures to the next level by going fully underwater and blowing playful bubbles.

Dancing:

Leiki and Merlin are good pals and this picture proves it. Wrestling (see below) is the most common way for moon bears to show good-natured affection, but these two were so playful their roughhousing seemed more like a dance. It looks like Leiki has decided she is going to lead!

Swinging:

It wouldn’t be a moon bear holiday without spending some time swinging the days away. For Zebedee, Ricky and Suki great minds think alike and each took great pleasure from the gentle rocking of a sanctuary swing on a cool winter’s day.

Photo-bombing:

Murphy thought he had all the attention – as usual. As the youngest bear at the sanctuary, Murphy has grown used to getting special attention from both bears and people. But this time Sassy had other ideas. As the photographer was trying to shoot Murphy’s cute attempts to climb the bamboo, something bigger came into sharp focus – Sassy’s inquisitive snout!

Wrapping paper makes the best toys:

In living rooms around the globe, expensive gifts have fallen out of favour while their humble packaging continues to excite febrile imaginations long after Christmas Day, and it’s exactly the same with sun bears. For youngster Goldie, this hessian sack was more fun than a thousand toys.

Wrestling:

Just when sun bear Murphy thought it was time for a holiday nap, along came “big brother” Goldie with other ideas.

Sleeping:

Not many people make it through Christmas Day without catching 40 winks on the sofa and in this regard, bears at our sanctuaries must think it’s Christmas every day. Sun bear Nelson and moon bear Fynn both decided rest was the best reward for a long year spent playing and foraging.

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