The honeycomb was harvested from a bee hive in the Zoo grounds, and stuffed into logs, giving our bears a sweet start to their day.

Using their large, curved, sickle-shaped claws, Jamran and Bopha got stuck in, relishing the honey as it dripped onto their paws before using their long tongues to slurp up the sweet treat.

Jamran and Bopha are exceptionally special members of the Perth Zoo family. They arrived in Western Australian in 2007 after being rescued by bear protection organisation, Free the Bears. Both had been poached as cubs and victims of the illegal wildlife trade. Our female, Bopha, was originally kept illegally by a local family as a pet, whilst Jamran was found hog-tied to a pole outside of a restaurant, destined to be chopped up for an edible ‘delicacy’.

When the bears first came to the Zoo, due to their distressing start to life, they were very wary, fearful and mistrusting of people. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to give them all the care, respect and nurturing they deserve. Our keepers have developed a special bond with the bears and get just as much enjoyment watching the bears delight in activities like pawing and devouring the honey.

“Jamran will probably have a natural sugar high all day,” said his Keeper Luke. “But just look at his face, his eyes have a childlike glint of excitement in them, he’s ecstatic and so focussed to get all the honey. It is so rewarding to see how far the bears have come, and to be able to make their lives better each and every day.”

By donating to Perth Zoo, you help Jamran and Bopha’s wild cousins thanks to our partnership with Free the Bears. Although our bears now have a sweet life, this is not the case for many wild bears who continue to fall victim to poachers, the illegal wildlife or kept in small cages to have their bile painfully harvested from medicinal purposes. Check out our video and donate now to help save wild bears.