Latest news with #LawrenceBates
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Meet the Isle of Wight carpenter behind rescued bears enclosure
The carpenter who built an enclosure for two "naughty" rescued brother bears says it feels "amazing" to see them Tweitman helped create the enclosure for Benji and Balu at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of has been almost a year in the making to create the enclosure for the bears, who were saved from a cage in Azerbaijan and released into the sanctuary on 4 Tweitman says it was "quite emotional" to see the bears splashing around in the water - even if they recently damaged part of their new enclosure. The bears were recently moved into a smaller pen while repairs were made to part of their new home, but have since been chief executive, Lawrence Bates, said they had a "notoriously curious nature" and jokingly called them "naughty bears" after they damaged a brick. Mr Tweitman explained the 3,500sqm (11,483 sqft) enclosure was made through "lots of recycling and re-using" to keep costs materials have been used to make the bear platform and the connecting ramp in the bears' new the local marina donated concrete boat floats to build the structure."Actually building an enclosure for bears - everything is supersized, super engineered and structurally a lot safer. There's zoo regulations to follow, guidelines and stuff so the bears don't escape," Mr Tweitman said."[There was] a lot of thought about putting in a rock slide to hang out on and sunbathe. All sorts of things that cropped up as we built, adding in extra mounds for privacy, hibernation holes." About two years ago, the bears were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to a temporary had been previously kept in a cage at a restaurant in Azerbaijan to attract 2024, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary started a fundraising campaign to pay for the bears' transport and brand new home, with almost £218,000 raised. Mr Tweitman added: "We broke ground last August I think, obviously it was time critical getting the bears here."It's absolute madness really, to think the amount of work and effort that everyone's put in to this build for two bears."It's quite emotional just to see them splashing around in the water, just happy." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Isle of Wight bear brothers damage new rescue sanctuary
Two brown bears, saved from a cage in Azerbaijan and released into a reserve, have damaged part of the their new rescue Benji and Balu were released into the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary on the Isle of Wight on 4 June."The bears with their notoriously curious nature managed to dig a hole into these blocks and then proceeded to start sprinkling the polystyrene contents around their enclosure."; said the CEO Lawrence Bates The pair have been moved into a smaller enclosure while the concrete, used to repair the hole, dries out. Recycled and sustainable material was used to make the bear platform and the connected ramp in the bears new sanctuary told the BBC, the local marina donated concrete boat floats to build the Bates said; "We have had to close them into their small enclosure whilst we repair the bricks with concrete today with the hope that it will dry soon and we plan to have them back enjoying their enclosure again by Thursday this week!! Naughty bears!" About two years ago, the bears were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources to temporary shelter. A restaurant in Azerbaijan had kept them in a cage to attract customers. In 2024, Wildheart Animal Sanctuary started a fundraising campaign to pay for the bears transport and brand new home. Nearly £218,000 was raised. Their space measures 3,500sqm (11,483 sqft) is in-keeping with their natural their release, they were kept in a holding pen while they got used to their new environment. You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
Rescued bears 'making good progress' ahead of enclosure move
Two bear brothers are making good progress after being resceued by a wildlife sanctuary, staff have and Balu were rescued from a cage near a restaurant in Azerbaijan and brought to the Isle of pair arrived at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary in Sandown on 4 June, after the site fundraised almost £218,000 to rehome the say the bears were looking "quite thin" when they arrived, but are now doing well. About two years ago, the brothers were relocated by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan from a restaurant, where they had been kept to attract customers, to a temporary Animal Sanctuary started fundraising to rehome the bears, having become aware of their situation in May 2024, and now a brand new playground beckons for the Bates, chief executive officer at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, said: "Their diet hadn't been great where they were at. They provided them with what they could to be fair, but that wasn't a varied diet."So the bears were quite thin, by our standards. You could see their hips, you could see some of their spine." The bears are set to be released from their holding pen into a new 3,500 sq m (3,7673 sq ft) enclosure on they have settled, head of bear section Lucie Francis said the team would work on increasing their diet."We're working on a very seasonal diet, so it will fluctuate through the year with the natural season and the availability that they would have in the wild," she said."Come towards the end of the summer, we will be introducing things like fish and we will be increasing that quantity of food as well." You can follow BBC Hampshire & Isle of Wight on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
