Orphaned Bear Cub finds a new Home

Clean Malaysia, 31st March 2016



A rescued sun bear cub plays with a twig at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sandakan. Photo Credit: BSBCC

The two-month-old sun bear cub was found lifeless and alone in a forest reserve in Pinangah, in Sabah. The forest workers who discovered her called the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD), an officer of which drove the little bear to the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) in Sandakan. There, the cub, named Wawa by the officer, is now bouncing back, thanks to round-the-clock care.

Wawa is the 48th rescued sun bear to have arrived at the center, which was founded in Sabah in 2008 with the aim of providing care and rehabilitation programs for bears rescued from poachers and illegal wildlife traffickers. The center also provides a home for orphaned cubs like Wawa as well as for older captive bears that cannot be released back into the wild. The non-profit sports well-equipped facilities and has built spacious enclosures with plenty of leafy roaming grounds for the vivacious bears in its care.

“Our department would like to issue a stern warning to those who continue to poach sun bears and other protected wildlife species.” Baya said.“We will take action against those who are found to be involved in such activities.”

The center’s CEO Wong Siew Te feeds Wawa from a bottle. Photo Credit: BSBCC

Rescued sun bear cub finds new home at BSBCC

The Sundaily, 23rd March 2016

SANDAKAN: Found alone in a forest reserve in Pinangah, within the Telupid district, a female sun bear cub believed to be about two months old is now settling into her new home at Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) here.

Named “Wawa” by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) officer who drove her to the centre last Friday, the cub is currently under quarantine and is reported to be improving in terms of her health.

The cub was found lifeless on March 11 by forest workers. said BSBCC chief executive officer Wong Siew Te in a joint statement from SWD today.

Wawa is the 48th rescued sun bear to have arrived at the centre.

Describing the fact that Wawa was found alone as worrying, SWD director William Baya said: “Orphans are rescued and sent to BSBCC from time to time, indicating that their mother may have been killed for their parts as part of an illegal trade business.

“There are no medicinal values of consuming Sun bear parts.”

He said they would take action against those who continue to poach sun bears and other protected wildlife species.

Offenders may face penalty of up to five years’ jail term or a maximum of RM50,000 fine, or both, he added. — Bernama

Orphaned sun bear cub rescued from Sabah forest reserve

New Straits Times, 23rd March 2016

SANDAKAN: A young female sun bear was rescued from a forest reserve in Pinangah, Telupid here.

The bear, found weak and almost lifeless, is now recuperating well at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre in Sepilok here.

Named “Wawa” by the Sabah Wildlife Department officer who drove her to the centre last Friday, the cub is currently under quarantine and is said to be improving in terms of her health.

BSBCC Chief Executive Officer Wong Siew Te said the cub was found on March 11 by workers conducting forest monitoring.

They subsequently took the cub to an office operated under the Forest Management Unit (FMU) 16 before it was surrendered to the department that later sent the bear to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near Kota Kinabalu the following day.

“Based on details given to us, Wawa appeared to be weak when she was found. Those who brought her to safety decided it would be best to only give her some water to drink.

“After several days, she arrived at BSBCC and although she was exhausted from the six hour drive, she was feisty enough to bark at our staff.

“Wawa is still weak and dehydrated but she is adapting well. We have been giving her constant care and we hope that she will become stronger in the days to come,” Wong said.

He added that it was very unlikely for a sun bear to abandon her cub and that it was not known what had happened to Wawa’s mother.

?“BSBCC is taking up the challenge to raise this bear and to teach her all that she needs to know before she returns to her natural habitat as an adult,” he said adding that this was the 48th rescued sun bear to have arrived at the centre. He reiterated that it is an offence under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997 to hunt or to keep sun bears.

Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre Chief Executive Officer Wong Siew Te botthe feeding the bear at the centre. Picture courtesy of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre

Rescued Sun Bear Cub Finds New Home At BSBCC

Date: March 23rd 2016

SANDAKAN, March 23 (Bernama) — Found alone in a forest reserve in Pinangah within the Telupid district, a female sun bear cub believed to be about two months old is now settling into her new home at the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC), here.

Named “Wawa” by the Sabah Wildlife Department (SWD) officer who drove her to the centre last Friday, the cub is currently under quarantine and is reported to be improving in terms of her health.

BSBCC chief executive officer, Wong Siew Te said the cub was found lifeless on March 11 by forest workers.

He said the workers took the cub to the office of the Forest Management Unit (FMU) 16, where she spent the night before being surrendered to SWD which then took her to the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park near Kota Kinabalu the following day.

“Based on details given to us, Wawa appeared to be weak when she was found and those who brought her to safety decided it would be best to only give her some water to drink.

“After several days, she arrived at BSBCC and although she was exhausted from the long six hour drive, she was feisty enough to bark at our staff.

“Wawa is still weak and dehydrated but she is adapting well. We have been giving her constant care and we hope that she will become stronger in the days to come,” he said in a joint statement from SWD and BSBCC, Wednesday.

He added that it was very unlikely for a sun bear to abandon her cub and that it was not known what had happened to Wawa’s mother.

“BSBCC is taking up the challenge to raise this bear and to teach her all that she needs to know before she returns to her natural habitat as an adult,” he said, adding, Wawa was the 48th rescued sun bear to have arrived at the centre.

It is an offence under the Sabah Wildlife Conservation Enactment to hunt or keep sun bears.

Meanwhile, SWD director William Baya said while he was glad that Wawa had made it safely to BSBCC, the fact that she was found alone was worrying.

“Orphans are rescued and sent to BSBCC from time to time, indicating that their mother may have been killed for their parts as part of an illegal trade business.

“There are no medicinal values of consuming Sun bear parts. Our department would like to issue a stern warning to those who continue to poach sun bears and other protected wildlife species.

“We will take action against those who are found to be involved in such activities. Offenders may face penalty of up to five years’ jail term or a maximum of RM50,000 fine, or both,” he said.

The cost of caring for Sun Bears that end up at BSBCC is huge and the centre is appealing for public support through donations or by adopting the animals.

— BERNAMA

Wawa Kini Mempunyai Rumah Baharu

Berita Wilayah, 23 March 2016

SANDAKAN, 23 Mac (Bernama) — ‘Wawa’ yang ditemui keseorangan di kawasan hutan simpan di Pinangah dalam daerah Telupid pada 11 Mac lalu kini mempunyai rumah baharu di Pusat Pusat Pemuliharaan Beruang Madu Borneo (BSBCC) di sini.

Anak beruang madu betina ini yang berumur dua bulan dibawa ke pusat itu Jumaat lalu dan kini dikuarantin dan dilapor bertambah baik kesihatannya.

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif BSBCC, Wong Siew Te berkata anak beruang itu pada mulanya ditemui oleh pekerja hutan.

“Wawa masih lemah tapi dapat menyesuaikan diri dengan keadaan sekitar,” katanya.

Beliau berkata tidak mungkin ibu Wawa meninggalkannya yang tidak diketahui apa yang berlaku kepada ibunya.

BSBCC akan membesarkan Wawa sebelum ia dikembalikan ke dalam hutan apabila besar, katanya.

Wawa merupakan beruang madu yang ke-48 yang ditempatkan di BSBCC.

— BERNAMA