To Taurus this is just a snack that he had to work for - to his carers it’s what keeps him happy and healthy.

This snippet filmed this week at Animals Asia’s Vietnam sanctuary by Australian supporters Jo and Richard Collins is a prime example of how Animals Asia keep bears not just healthy, but happy.

For rescued bears the right diet will work wonders but that’s only part of the story. Bears in the wild are used to foraging for food. It can’t simply be dumped at their feet. Instead it has to be high, low and sometimes hidden altogether.

Bears need to climb for their food. They need to sniff it out. Sometimes they need their paws, claws and long moon bear tongues to extract it from its hiding place.

That’s the case for Taurus here. This oh-so-tempting snack has been hidden where he has to work for it. And whatever it is, it’s driving him mad. Here it’s actually an apple, but it could be fermented tofu, it could even be gloriously sweet jam. In fact, rotating these ‘enrichment’ treats is all part of the plan to ensure that every day offers something different.

Rescued in 2009 as a cub - seven years on, Taurus is a fully-grown bear. As ever his rescue was just the start. Animals Asia have to keep him not just in daily veggies and nutritional food, but also surrounded by enough stimulation to ensure he never gets bored by his environment. And that’s a huge challenge.

Multiply that by almost 400 bears in China and Vietnam - and that’s an awful lot of work to fend off bear boredom.

Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson said:

“Taurus is such a vast boof of a bear now considering the tiny cub who first arrived at our sanctuary. His health is testimony to the wonderful care he has received but so also is his obvious happiness.

“We commit to looking after each bear we rescue for the rest of their natural lives. But the commitment to ensure their happiness is also part of that. That is a huge challenge but, judging by Taurus in this footage - we’re getting it right.”

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