The Inspiring Journey of Two Bears Finding Freedom After a Decade in Captivity
Bears are truly among the most majestic creatures on Earth — in my eyes, they are meant to roam free in the wild, not confined behind bars. And when you hear the heartbreaking yet triumphant story of Misha and Dasha, that belief becomes even stronger.
For ten excruciating years, two brown bears, Misha and Dasha, lived in a cruel and barren existence inside a tiny metal cage, placed outside a restaurant in Armenia. Their sole role? To serve as a tourist attraction. With no room to roam or anything to stimulate their minds, their days were spent aimlessly pacing in endless circles, climbing the bars, or even banging their heads against the cold metal — desperate for any form of escape from the soul-crushing monotony of their reality.
But as if their captivity wasn’t cruel enough, the cage was dangerously close to a riverbank, exposing the bears to seasonal floods. One year, disaster nearly struck. Rising waters crept closer and closer, and the helpless bears found themselves trapped in their tiny prison, just inches away from drowning.
“A few years back, the river flooded, and the bears almost drowned,” said Lis Key, PR and communications manager for International Animal Rescue (IAR). “The rescue team had to cut through the cages to free them. They were in serious danger of drowning, trapped behind iron bars with no way to escape.”
For years, IAR worked tirelessly, alongside the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets (FPWC), to convince the restaurant owners to release the bears. And after relentless effort and unwavering determination, their fight finally bore fruit.
The day of their rescue arrived. Armed with tools to cut through the cold steel that had imprisoned the bears for so long, the rescue team freed Misha and Dasha. After being sedated, the bears were carefully transported to a sanctuary tucked away in the mountains — a place where they could finally experience the life they had been denied for so long. Here, for the very first time, Misha and Dasha could roam freely, explore, and simply be bears.
Then, something miraculous happened. As winter arrived, Misha and Dasha settled into a cave to hibernate. But when spring came, they emerged with a surprise: Dasha had given birth to two healthy cubs!
The rescue team was astounded. No one had suspected Dasha was pregnant at the time of her rescue. “She received all the necessary care after being freed — plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and honey to help her gain weight before hibernation… but no one imagined her voracious appetite was because she was expecting,” said Vicky Mkrtchyan, environmental projects coordinator for FPWC.
Dasha, once a symbol of suffering and confinement, had transformed into a dedicated and protective mother, fiercely nurturing and caring for her cubs in the safety of her new home.
“It was already a beautiful sight to see Dasha freed from the barren cage and begin to reconnect with life and her surroundings,” Mkrtchyan reflected. “Now, seeing her with her two little cubs is beyond moving. It’s a stark contrast to her miserable life behind bars — to now witness her as a natural mother, fiercely protecting and nurturing her cubs, is truly incredible.”
Misha and Dasha’s journey from a life of torment to one filled with love, freedom, and hope is a reminder of the power of compassion, resilience, and the unyielding will to protect the most vulnerable among us.