Ka-Ka and Gallamair: Old friends Reunited!

Back in 2008, some villagers poached a male Malayan sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) cub from a forest area near Laos, with the intention of selling him as a pet. They could not find a buyer quick enough, so they dumped him at Wat Klong Sai Nung , a temple near Thayang, when they were afraid of being caught by the police. At the temple, the monks hand-reared Kaka and kept him in an enclosure with a group of dogs. When he was rescued by WFFT he was 30kg, at just over one years of age. He was barking like a dog whilst in quarantine, but then calmed down when he was introduced to Gallamair, a 2-year-old female sun bear. Kaka became instant friends.
After around six years later while they had been living together, Kaka became sexually mature and we made the decision to vasectomize him to prevent breeding, unfortunately it appears that the operation was not successful. Soon after the birth of Ka Wow, the father Kaka, was moved to another bear field to ensure that Gallamair and her cub could have some privacy, in the wild sun bears are mostly solitary, with the mother raising her young without any parental care from the father.
Since then they have been separated. After the successful introduction of Bowie and Ka Wow earlier this month, decision was made to re-introduce Kaka and Gallamair together under the supervision close of the WFFT Animal Management Team.  Kaka indeed can be a grumpy, even if beautiful, male. But instantly the 2 old friends reconnected! Playing, climbing, running together! Have a look at this very special reunion that occurred this week!

Let’s wish them a lot more long years of complicity!