Birthday surprise for bear cubs in Bursa: 3 types of cakes prepared

At the Ovakorusu Bear Sanctuary in the Karacabey district of Bursa, Turkey's first and only bear shelter, 3 types of birthday cakes—honey-fruit and fish-vegetable—were made for the bear cubs that have completed their treatment processes and reached their first year in good health.

The bear cubs enjoyed the cakes, which each had a single candle symbolizing their first year. The 5 bear cubs, 4 of which were found in the wild in Giresun and 1 in Bursa during the spring of 2023, were brought to the Ovakorusu Bear Sanctuary, located within the Celal Acar Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, which is Turkey's first and only bear shelter since the founding of the Republic.

The bears, some of which were brought in injured, were named Hurşit, Ziver, Şekerpare, Cesur, and Mayıs. Mayıs, who had a fracture in his left front leg bone, regained his health after surgeries. Şekerpare suffered from pneumonia (lung infection) during this period and recovered as a result of the treatment.

It was learned that the health status of the bears, who have turned 1 year old, is good. The symbolic birthday party held for the bear cubs was celebrated with a fruit cake prepared by the staff. Some curious young bears, unable to enter the area where the cubs were, climbed trees to watch what was happening.

Stating that bear cubs that have been injured, fallen ill, lost their mothers, or are in need of help are transferred to the center in Karacabey from various regions of Turkey every year, Nature Conservation and National Parks (DKMP) 2nd Regional Director Ali Bozkurt said, "In the spring of 2023, 5 brown bear cubs were brought to our area. 4 of these bears were found in Giresun and 1 in Bursa and were transferred to our center. We wanted to show you our bears after a 1-year interval. We also wanted to explain the work we do at our center. We are working to ensure that our bear cubs, who have become weak, injured, or lost their mothers in the wild, spend the rest of their lives here. Our bears here stay because they are no longer in a condition to continue their lives in the wild. Our shelter is the only one in Turkey, and today we made a birthday surprise for our bear cubs. We prepared 3 cakes for our bear cubs. Our friends served the cakes to the bear cubs. Now they will enjoy eating them too."