Russians have always been a little odd, but might being odd mean adopting a bear?
The answer might be yes, since, believe it or not, this Russian couple,
Svetlana and Yuriy Panteleenko adopted an orphaned bear 23 years ago and have had a wonderful life with their “wild pet” ever since.
Svetlana and Yuriy adopted Stepan, the bear, when he was three months old after discovering him abandoned in poor condition by hunters.
They looked after the newborn bear and rescued him from certain death.
Stepan is now 23 years old and is thoroughly enjoying his life with Svetlana and Yuriy. He has become a member of the family, and he has many everyday activities similar to humans,
such as watching TV, sipping tea, gardening, reading… and EATING. And I capitalised “eating” because this bear consumes 25 kg of fish, veggies, and eggs per day!
Living with a bear is certainly not inexpensive.
Isn’t it great how this pair looks after a cute wild animal and makes him happy while others slaughter this magnificent species?
According to the pair, because they have known the bear for so long, his attitude is exceptionally kind, and he can frequently be found snuggling up to them on the sofa.
‘Stepan loves nothing more than cuddling up with us on the sofa at night when we watch TV,’ Svetlana added.
‘When we adopted him, he was just three months old and had been found in the jungle by hunters after his mother had died. He was in critical condition.
‘He truly adores humans and is a very friendly bear; contrary to popular belief, he is not violent at all. Stepan has never bitten any of us.
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