Melanie Furniss

Free the Bears mission is to protect, preserve and enrich the lives of bears throughout the world. Over the past 25 years we've helped rescue over 950 bears. We currently operate rescued bear sanctuaries in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos and care for over 230 rescued bears. We've helped bring the centuries old Indian 'dancing' bear tradition to an end, removing over 500 bears from the streets of India and providing alternative livelihoods to the nomadic Kalandar gypsy families who had forced the bears to beg (the first Kalander student recently graduated university).

We work closely with our government partners to strengthen wildlife laws and enforcement and run education programmes which have helped hundreds of thousands of people learn of the importance of wildlife conservation. Our research and cub care programmes are world leaders, providing invaluable learnings which will help conserve the vulnerable bear species we work with - sun bears (the world's smallest and least understood bear species), moon bears (or Asiatic black bears) and Indian sloth bears.

Free the Bears began after our founder, Perth grandmother Mary Hutton, learnt of the horrific practice of bile extraction of caged moon bears in Asia. Since this time we've rescued many bears from the bear bile trade and prevented the industry getting a foothold in Cambodia. In the coming years we hope to see an end to bear bile extraction and farming in Vietnam and Laos, where just under 1,000 bears are still kept in terrible circumstances.

Despite our achievements, we have a long way to go to ensure the bears and other wildlife of SE Asia are protected and preserved. With limited suitable habitat available, our commitment to the rescued bears at our sanctuaries is lifelong, which can last up to 40 years. This requires a huge financial commitment - any help you can give is greatly appreciated. Please donate or register as a Bear Carer, and please come to visit our sanctuaries and see what we've been able to achieve. Thank you.