Murphy was the youngest cub Animals Asia had ever rescued — a year on, look at him go.

Just over a year ago, Murphy was discovered being smuggled in a backpack across the border from Laos to Vietnam. The authorities contacted Animals Asia who took him in.

One year on and we can’t imagine life without him. Murphy has grown from a scared orphan, to a boisterous young cub.

He is still the youngest bear we have ever rescued — so young he even learned to walk in our sanctuary. Since then he’s learned so much more: how to climb, forage, play, make friends and generally be a bear.

Animals Asia Bear Manager Kelly Donithan said:

“Murphy is such a happy little sun bear. He lives with his best buddie, Goldie. Murphy’s quite a bit smaller but the two get on great and Murphy wins just about every wrestling match, although we all think Goldie lets him.

“He’s over a year old now but Murphy still has his toddler moments. He throws tantrums if not getting exactly what he wants or if he feels another bear is getting too much attention. But we don’t mind indulging him and will always make time to come say hi and make him feel loved.”

Murphy’s smuggler was eventually apprehended and admitted to killing Murphy’s mother in order to traffic the then six to eight-week-old cub.

The tragedy meant Animals Asia staff had to fill the void left behind by Murphy’s mother. They kept him company while he was young and traumatised which meant he required hand-rearing.

For a bear as young as Murphy, returning to the wild was never an option. With no mother to protect him and teach him how to survive, he would have no chance of survival. Illegal poaching remains a serious problem in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, with the result that no safe areas for release have been identified.

Kelly added:

“It’s hard to imagine him now as that tiny, scared cub emerging from a trader's backpack. He truly has an insatiable appetite for life and a joyous spirit despite his traumatic beginning.”

Sun bears like Murphy can expect to live for 30 years. Animals Asia happily made that commitment. If you’d like to also make a commitment to bears like Murphy, you can do so here via our sponsorship programme.

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