Sun bear cub Layla, rescued by Animals Asia, is keeping her carers busy as they attempt to teach her some basic skills for being a bear.

Arriving at our Vietnam sanctuary as a young orphan, Layla is in the unusual position of needing to be taught some behaviours by human carers.

Some sun bear behaviour is learnt rather than being innate. Through observation of their mother, bear cubs learn behaviours such as which foods to eat, where to forage and how to build nests.

For the sanctuary's very human staff, teaching these skills can be a little unusual.

Bear Manager Sarah Dempsey said:

"We teach nest building by sitting in the corridor of Layla's den and making big nest piles out of straw or other substrates. We also sit and eat fruit or other food items which we also give to Layla to show that these are safe to eat and to teach her how to forage.

"Sadly, at the end of the day, we are a different species so there is much that we can't teach Layla and we can never replace her mother. But we try our best and it provides her with plentiful enrichment and I'm sure more than a little entertainment watching us act in unusual ways for her benefit."

It is hoped that once Layla is older she can safely be integrated with other bears. If so, she will continue the learning process, picking up certain behaviours or ways of doing things from other bears in the group.

Layla's next-door neighbour, Sassy, seems like the most likely candidate to help her learn. The process will be two-way, however, as Sassy – like Layla – also grew up an orphan.

The two bears presently have adjoining dens and once Layla is big enough to safely be integrated, it's hoped they will be able to share an enclosure.

Sarah added:

"Filling in the gaps in their learning, wherever possible, is the best chance we have of helping these bears to fulfil a relatively 'normal' and diverse repertoire of natural behaviour.

Staff at VBRC have been fortunate to enjoy the support of animal behaviourist Else Poulsen. Her generous advice on social learning in bears and suggestions of how to teach orphaned cubs more diverse natural behaviours has been invaluable. Our staff – and bears – are very grateful for her support.

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