Integration Male Bear Montom With Adult Bear Group

29/3/2019

Text by Emily Tan Yu En
Photo by Chiew Lin May


On January 18th 2015, Montom was rescued by the Sabah Wildlife Rescue Unit from Kampung Melangkap, Kota Marudaand sent him to BSBCC on 21st of January, 2015. The story reported to the Wildlife Rescue Unit was the owner’s dog chased away Montom’s mother and she left him behind. He was taken and kept as a pet for a year in a chicken wire mesh cage and fed with human food. The owner was willing to surrender Montom to the Sabah Wildlife Department’s Wildlife Rescue Unit.

We introduced Montom to the other sub-adult group and was pleased to see him get along well with all the bears. After a few years, Montom is no longer a sub-adult bear so we’re going to let him join the adult bear group and let other sub-adult bears to join in his previous group.

Montom was introduced to the adult bears which included Rungus, Ah Lun, Julaini, Ah Bui and Fulung. Montom was introduced one-by-one for the first six days as he will feel surprise and afraid if he meet all the bears at the same time. At first, Montom played well with all the bears but Rungus and Ah Bui didn’t really likes to play with him as they will stay on aside or rest on the enrichment in the buffer cage. Few days later, all the bears play along with him and they’re trying learn to understand each other better even though sometimes they play rough to each other. They play around and chase each other and no aggression found during the whole integration.
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Here are some photos during the integration of Montom with other adult bears.


Integration Montom with Julaini and Ah Lun

Montom stays on the enrichment and tries to play with Julaini and Ah Lun

Montom ( top ) biting Ah Lun’s back shoulder

Julaini and Montom stand and wrestle

The three of them get along well

Julaini and Fulung mouthing to Montom

Integration Montom with Rungus and Fulung

Rungus stays on the enrichment and watch Fulung and Montom wrestle

After all the integration, we let Montom join with the adult bear group to the enclosure .They will move around in the enclosure searching for food.  Montom get to learn some surviving skills from the bears such as climbing, self-defence, digging and others.