Perth, Australia – At Perth Zoo, sun bear Bopha stretches deep into a log to reach honey, described as “reaching for honey like we reach for the last Pringle.”

For Bopha, it is far more than a treat. The honey is part of her enrichment, with digging into the log encouraging natural behaviours that keep her claws sharp and her tongue busy.

Perth Zoo says they are proud to provide Bopha with a safe home and all the honey she could want, within reason, because it is important for her to have a healthy, balanced diet.

But life was not always so sweet for Bopha and fellow sun bear Jamran. Both were victims of the illegal wildlife trade before they were rescued.

The zoo credits its conservation partner Free the Bears with saving the two bears from a life that would have looked very different to their current one.

This year, Free the Bears marked its 30th anniversary. The Perth founded organisation has rescued more than 1,000 bears over the past three decades, including Bopha and Jamran, and Perth Zoo says they could not be prouder to work with them.

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