The Daily Telegraph (Australia)
FIVE years ago, Cambodian sun bear Jamran faced a grim future.
His abusive captors planned to cut off his paws, one by one, for use in bear-paw soup, an expensive delicacy served in Phnom Penh restaurants.
But today, Jamran could be seen for the first time excitedly exploring his lush new enclosure at Perth Zoo, frolicking in his own personal pond and strutting his stuff for rapt crowds.
The six-year-old and his four-year-old female pal Bopha arrived at the zoo last month as part of a breeding program aimed at boosting the numbers of the critically endangered species.
Rescued from traders in 2002, the sun bears - the smallest species of bear - lived at a sanctuary in Cambodia until their big move last month.
Perth Zoo worked closely with the non-profit Perth-based group Free the Bears Fund to establish the bears' new home in Australia.
Free the Bears Fund founder Mary Hutton said the plight of sun bears and other bears in Asia is overwhelming, with the illegal wildlife trade and widespread habitat destruction the main concerns.
Ms Hutton says she has no doubt what would have become of Jamran if he had not been rescued.
"Jamran would be dead," Ms Hutton said.
"He was hog-tied, destined for the restaurant trade, where his paws would have been cut off.
"He would have been kept alive while one paw was taken at a time," she said.
In Cambodia, a bowl of bear-paw soup can cost up to $1300, and is mainly consumed by wealthy people from other Asian nations.
His abusive captors planned to cut off his paws, one by one, for use in bear-paw soup, an expensive delicacy served in Phnom Penh restaurants.
But today, Jamran could be seen for the first time excitedly exploring his lush new enclosure at Perth Zoo, frolicking in his own personal pond and strutting his stuff for rapt crowds.
The six-year-old and his four-year-old female pal Bopha arrived at the zoo last month as part of a breeding program aimed at boosting the numbers of the critically endangered species.
Rescued from traders in 2002, the sun bears - the smallest species of bear - lived at a sanctuary in Cambodia until their big move last month.
Perth Zoo worked closely with the non-profit Perth-based group Free the Bears Fund to establish the bears' new home in Australia.
Free the Bears Fund founder Mary Hutton said the plight of sun bears and other bears in Asia is overwhelming, with the illegal wildlife trade and widespread habitat destruction the main concerns.
Ms Hutton says she has no doubt what would have become of Jamran if he had not been rescued.
"Jamran would be dead," Ms Hutton said.
"He was hog-tied, destined for the restaurant trade, where his paws would have been cut off.
"He would have been kept alive while one paw was taken at a time," she said.
In Cambodia, a bowl of bear-paw soup can cost up to $1300, and is mainly consumed by wealthy people from other Asian nations.
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