Finally, Phase 1 of BSBCC construction is done!

After 8 months of non-stop of hardwork under hot tropical sun and pouring rainforest’s rain by the construction workers, volunteers, and supervision of the contractors and architects, the first Bear House and the 4 forested enclosures of BSBCC are finally done! This is the first achievement of BSBCC and I would like to thank everyone who has help us in so many ways to raise fund, raise awareness, spread the words of our cause, help us taking care of the bears, and also physically build the bear house and the forest enclosure.

With the completion of Phase 1, we are also entering Phase 2, which, at this point still lack of funding to start the construction. However, the completion of the bear house means a lot to the captive sun bears currently under our care because they can finally have a better living environment with access to natural forest. In addition, with the extra cages, we can start rescue the other captive sun bears across the state and bring them into our care.

It has been 6 years since Dr Sen Nathan and I talking about this project. Six year is a long time for us to come this far and six years is a long time for the bears to wait for the new home. I feel sorry that these bears have to wait for so long for a better home. However, I have tried very hard to make this project come this far, again, thanks to many people, especially Cynthia Ong and Nancy Abraham, who give us a lot of supports and helps.

Without your help, this project would not come this far.

Without your support, the construction of this bear house would not have been completed.

March 22nd is the official “hand back over” day of the buildings from the contractor to BSBCC, the opposite of the “hand over” from us to the contractor to start building some 8 months ago. On this day, BSBCC will move into a new era by helping individual sun bears, and later, expend the helps to their population in the wild and finally the species.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you the new bear house of BSBCC! The building plan showing Bear House 1 and the 4 forested enclosures.

The perimeter of the forest enclosure is a belian wood and chain link fence, reinforced with electric wire.

The bear house is linked to a 1 ha forest enclosure. Chain link fence was used to divide the enclosure into 4 separate pens for different bear age and sex groups.

A hot-wired training pen is located at one end of the building. This pen will be used to train the bears to stay away from the electric fencing in the forest enclosures.

A food tray holder and stainless steel water container are affixed in each bear cage. A sliding door allows bears to move from cage to cage. The floor is leveled and painted with epoxy paint.

A guillotine door system is also used to allow bears access to the forest enclosures. Bear sleeping basket on the right.

A guillotine door system is used to transfer bears in and out between the translocation cage and the living cages.

There are 20 individual bear cages inside the new bear house. The transparent roof allows natural light. The planned recycled wooden material for the walk way was changed to metal mesh to ensure better hygiene. The walk way is part of the air ventilation for the building.

Bear food preparation area.

Water tanks for direct water and rain water storage. The dome-shaped cement structure (centre) is the biogas digester, which will collect methane gas for cooking bear food.

Gravel road and drainage system in front of the building.

New bear house is built at site of the old rhino pen. Behind is the 1 ha forest enclosure.