Bear Conservation

Bears come in many different shapes and sizes, from the brown bears of the Romanian Bear Sanctuary through to the affable panda bears of the Panda Volunteer Experience in China. They have made their way into childhood memories in the form of cuddly toys and legendary characters such as Winnie The Pooh and Baloo the bear from 'The Jungle Book'. One thing they all have in common is that they are all coming under increasing pressure from human interference, and we need your help to stop this. Deforestation is one major issue, as well as human encroachment and hunting, and it is for these reasons why bear conservation projects are so important.

Since its conception in 2005, the Romanian Bear Sanctuary has grown to become the country's epicentre for the care of European Brown Bears. It has rescued over 70 bears, and the number is always increasing. Volunteering with bears allows you to help educate tourists on the importance of their conservation, as well as an opportunity to work with bears up close by helping to provide food, maintain enclosures and more!

The chance to become a bear conservation volunteer does not come around too often, and with The Great Projects, you could volunteer with bears in both Asia and Europe, all depending on where you would like to go! You can visit a bear sanctuary in Romania, or work with pandas in China - whichever you decide, we have you covered! Find out more about our bear conservation projects today!

Projects Do More

Signature Tours See More

Bear Articles

Meet The Animals At The Great Orangutan Project!

Meet The Animals At The Great Orangutan Project!

Get to know some of the animals at The Great Orangutan...

The Benefits Of Enrichment At The Great Orangutan Project - In The Project Coordinator's Own Words!

The Benefits Of Enrichment At The Great Orangutan Project - In The Project Coordinator's Own Words!

The project coordinator at The Great Orangutan Project...

International Polar Bear Day  - See How You Could Make A Difference

International Polar Bear Day - See How You Could Make A Difference

As the world looks towards International Polar Bear Day,...

Goodbye, 2017 - A Look Back On Our Volunteer's Amazing Achievements!

Goodbye, 2017 - A Look Back On Our Volunteer's Amazing Achievements!

As we approach the end of 2017, we’re taking a look...

bears at a glance

ENDANGERED STATUS
Least Concern/Vulnerable
NUMBER REMAINING IN THE WILD
1,500/200,000+
ENDEMIC REGION
Across Europe, Asia, and North America

How Endangered Are Bears

The European brown bears are noted as of least concern by the IUCN. With over 200,000 remaining in the wild, the bear population is still strong and healthy. However, if their habitat continues to be destroyed at such a rapid rate then they will begin to suffer.

The Bornean sun bears on the other hand are classed as vulnerable, which means a sudden change in their numbers could affect their population much more drastically. The world’s smallest species of bear needs the biggest amount of help you can give!

Like their Bornean cousins, the Giant Pandas are also classed as vulnerable after being removed from the endangered list in 2016. This iconic animal may be on the road to recovery, but without continued conservation efforts this could change. By taking the chance to work with pandas, you will be aiding their chances of survival.

Threats Bears Are Facing

Bears are facing big and overwhelming threats to their populations. They are:

  • Habitat Destruction – in the pursuit of wood, oil, and plantation sites, humans are cutting down the forested areas in which bears live at an alarming rate. Brown bears are now only found in 2% of their former range.
  • Hunting – bear gall bladders are in high demand in the Asian aphrodisiac market, despite there being no evidence that these parts have medicinal value.
  • Human Conflict - due to a depleting habitat, bears and humans often end up wandering into places such as bee yards in search of food. A lot of the time they are killed as they are seen as a threat, but this can be avoided.
Fast Facts
  • Giant pandas can eat up to an impressive 20kg of bamboo per day, and the reason they have to eat so much of this grass is that it has almost no nutritional value!
  • Some species of bear, including the sun bear, will make their nests up in the trees.
  • A bear's sense of smell is better than a dogs and probably any other mammal!
  • Some species of bear can run at speeds of up to 40 kilometres per hour!
  • Grizzly bears possess a biting force which is enough to crush a bowling ball.
Where you can go
Contact Info
UK Office
The Great Traveller Ltd,
3 Dairy Yard
Star Street
Ware, Hertfordshire
SG12 7DX
United Kingdom

Opening hours:
   Mon-Fri 8:30am–5:30pm
   Sat 10am-4pm

T: +44(0) 208 885 4987