This bear is totally unrecognisable after being rescued from a lifetime in cages

Fifi was found in August 2015 in Pennsylvania by the association Peta. The bear was, at that time, skeletal. Her three comrades, Bruno, Pocahontas and Marsha were also rescued.

A life in a cage

Fifi spent most of her life in 'a dilapidated roadside zoo.' 'She was forced to stand up and perform bizarre tricks to amuse the visitors,' the association said. Ten years later, the zoo closed and 'she and the other three bears were just left there, in their tiny cages.' The bears had been unable to get out, that is until the day the owners issued an announcement saying they wanted to sell the cages 'and the bears with them.' The association then decided to help these poor bears. They were taken to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, a shelter for abused animals.

Life in freedom

When they arrived at the shelter, the bears suffered from various injuries caused by the cage bars. They were also traumatised. 'Fifi had arthritis in her back paws, she was seriously underweight, her fur was thin and damaged and her eyes were staring in the into space; we didn't know if she was going to recover.'

But fortunately, Fifi and her companions escaped. They moved to Colorado and lived their bear lives as they saw fit. Fifi was able to hibernate for the first time in her life and fulfilled the rest of her days living in peace, but sadly, she passed away in 2019.

Peta issued a statement saying 'It’s with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to the beautiful Syrian brown bear Fifi, who convinced people around the world that bears don’t belong in tiny cages.'