Bears rescued from captivity can never return to the wild: Inside Armenia’s Wi

Bears rescued after years of captivity in Armenia can never be returned to the wild because prolonged confinement leaves lasting physical and psychological scars, according to specialists at the Wildlife Rescue Center operated by the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC).

Narine Piloyan, the center’s bear care coordinator, said rescued bears often arrive suffering from broken or damaged teeth, ulcers on their paws and footpads, various injuries and other health problems. Equally serious, however, are the behavioral disorders caused by years of confinement.

“When a wild animal spends years in captivity under constant stress, its behavior changes. Rehabilitating those behavioral changes requires long-term work to improve the animal’s welfare,” she said.

According to Piloyan, the bears are rescued from restaurants, gas stations and private properties, where many have spent years confined to small metal cages.

In many cases, they have been deprived of sunlight, shelter, natural ground beneath their feet, access to water or even a place to hide.

“This is not a habitat suitable for a wild animal. It is, in reality, a torture cell,” she said.

Established in 2016, the Wildlife Rescue Center currently cares for more than 30 rescued bears across its facilities, each with its own story of survival and rehabilitation.

Upon arrival, every animal undergoes a quarantine period during which veterinarians assess its health, conduct examinations and begin treatment. When specialized care is required, the center also works with veterinary experts from abroad.

Once physical recovery is underway, attention turns to behavioral rehabilitation.

According to Piloyan, prolonged stress and boredom are among the main causes of behavioral disorders in rescued bears. To encourage natural instincts, the center provides a variety of enrichment activities, including food-based challenges, environmental enrichment and scent stimulation.

“If a bear enjoys a particular scent, it begins interacting with it, lying near it or rubbing its fur against the surface. That shows the animal’s senses remain active, which is extremely important for a predator,” she explained.

The purpose of these activities, she said, is not merely to keep the bears occupied but to encourage natural behavior and improve their quality of life.

Despite successful rehabilitation, returning adult rescued bears to the wild is no longer possible.

Piloyan said international experience shows that wild animals kept under human care for many years lose many of the instincts necessary for survival.

“They can no longer hunt, forage, find safe shelter or protect themselves from danger. Years of being fed by humans also change their perception of people. They no longer see humans as a threat, which can have fatal consequences for both the animal and people,” she said.

Instead, the bears spend the rest of their lives in large semi-natural enclosures designed to replicate their natural habitat as closely as possible.

The enclosures include natural soil, trees, grassy areas, dens and pools, allowing the animals to express many of their natural behaviors.

“During winter they can retreat into their dens to hibernate. In spring, when grass begins to grow, they graze as they would in the wild. They overturn rocks, search for insects underneath and explore their surroundings. All of this is essential for both their physical and psychological well-being,” Piloyan said.

She noted that one reason wild animals increasingly enter populated areas is the growing shortage of food in their natural habitats, a problem to which human activity significantly contributes.

Deforestation and the large-scale collection of fruits, berries and other natural food sources reduce the resources available to wildlife, she said.

Piloyan believes that many conservation challenges ultimately stem from society’s attitude toward nature.

“Many environmental problems are the result of our own behavior. When people’s attitude toward nature changes, many of those problems begin to disappear.”

To promote that change, the center runs environmental education programs, particularly for children. Sometimes specialists visit schools, while in other cases students and summer camp participants visit the rescue center to meet the animals and learn their stories firsthand.

“We explain where each animal was rescued from, the conditions it lived in and the journey it took before arriving here. Seeing these animals with their own eyes helps children understand the seriousness of the issue far better than simply watching a video or hearing a story.”

Piloyan stressed that education is a crucial part of the long-term solution but cannot deliver immediate results on its own.

“Effective legislation, strict enforcement and consistent action by the relevant authorities are equally important. Education shapes attitudes, but it takes time. Strong laws-and their proper enforcement-can have a much more immediate impact.”