ADOPT A BROWN BEAR

Found in 45 countries, brown bears weigh around 700 pounds and can range from five to eight feet in height. Sub-species include the Kodiak bear, Eurasian brown bear and grizzly bear. Distinctive in appearance with a thick brown coat and shoulder hump, the brown bear has a muscular body, making them adept at digging dens and ripping apart logs to find food.

Surviving primarily on a diet of fruit, nuts, roots, fish, insects and small mammals, brown bears prepare for their winter sleep by piling on the pounds before digging out a suitable den. Pregnant females will give birth to one or two cubs during the winter, and emerge in spring.

Whilst wild population numbers aren’t of immediate concern overall, some sub-populations of brown bear are critically endangered from threats such as habitat loss and hunting according to the IUCN’s Red List. Brown bears have also suffered from human activity in the name of entertainment.

ADOPTING A BROWN BEAR

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN YOUR BROWN BEAR ADOPTION

Help care for brown bears in need with an animal adoption, and you'll receive an exclusive adoption pack containing a soft toy, animal story, species factsheet, personalised certificate and glossy photo. Plus, we’ll send you our Adopt magazine twice a year with updates on all our wildlife adoptions – perfect for animal lovers.

Adoptions last one year (those paid by monthly direct debit roll over until cancelled).

ISSUES AFFECTING BROWN BEARS TODAY

Brown bear populations are under threat from hunting; driven in Russia and China by the trade in bear paws and gall bladders.

Conflict with humans has also impacted subpopulation sizes; where wild populations are more likely to come into contact with humans, brown bears run the risk of being killed as they search for food. Human development, whether it’s road building, housing or agriculture, continues to impact brown bear habitats across the world.

Sadly, brown bears have been a common sight in zoos and circuses over the years, a situation which causes distress for this species. The cruel practice of dancing bears – forcing animals to perform for human entertainment – is also a historical custom that continues despite international condemnation.

ADOPTING A BROWN BEAR WILL HAVE A MASSIVE IMPACT

Funds from your adoption will help provide lifetime care and protection for bears at the Born Free-supported Arcturos Environmental Centre & Bear Sanctuary in Greece. The sanctuary provides a safe haven for rescued orphan and injured bears as well as those saved from the dancing bear trade.

If the bears can’t be rehabilitated and released back into their natural environments, the sanctuary will care for them for the rest of their lives in a forest enclosure.

You can help provide care and protection for brown bears by adopting Kyriakos below.

It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty, the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.Sir David Attenborough

Your money will help:

Pay for the lifetime care of Kyriakos and other bears like him

Provide veterinary care to nurse injured brown bears back to health

Maintain a peaceful and safe forest enclosure for the brown bears at Arcturos

Reintroduce brown bears back to the wild where possible

Educate people about brown bears and the need to protect them

ADOPT KYRIAKOS

Kyriakos was born in the wild in the forest of Kastoria, in northern Greece. He was orphaned when only four months old. Fortunately, he was taken in by a shepherd who cared for him for a few months before the Arcturos Sanctuary in Greece then took him in.

Although the shepherd saved Kyriakos’ life, Kyriakos is now too used to humans to be released back to the wild. Your adoption will help ensure he gets the food and care he needs.

Help us provide the care he needs.

To change to your preferred currency please use the currency option at the top of the page. Please note this is for display purposes only and your bank may offer a different exchange rate.

ADOPTION PACK DELIVERY INFORMATION

We will process and send your order within 3 working days, and would normally expect it to arrive within 7 working days to addresses within the UK. All UK orders are sent via Royal Mail 2nd class delivery. Please allow 28 days for delivery on overseas orders. Please note – we cannot hold orders for delivery on a specific date.

Orders do not need to be signed for, but come in a box which won’t fit through the letterbox so you will need to be available to accept the delivery. A card will be left if you’re unavailable.