Bear Facts

Everything you ever wanted to know about bears!

Bears are amazing animals. They are intelligent, playful, and they take some of the best naps in the animal kingdom! FOUR PAWS rescues bears from exploitation all over the world and brings them to species-appropriate homes at our seven bear sanctuaries. Read on to learn more about bears and our #SaveTheSaddestBears campaign, which strives to end the suffering of bears kept in conditions not suited to their species, worldwide.

All About Bears

Our Bear Sanctuaries

March Napness

Hibernation

Save the Saddest Bears

Brown bear Erich swimming on his back with his back legs sticking into the air

Brown Bears

10 Facts about Brown Bears

Intriguing facts about one of the world's largest predators

Borwn bear with enrichment shaped like red tulips

Self-Care Like a Bear

Our rescued bears can be an inspiration for your own self-care routine

Bear is sitting in the grass

Brown Bears: Way of Life

A year in the life of a brown bear in the wild – from mating to winter sleep

Bear eating a tomato

Brown Bear: Food & Feeding Behavior

Facts about bear's diet and foraging behavior that might surprise you

Brown bear in a field

BearWell

Developing and validating a welfare assessment tool for brown bears

Bear Vinzenz and Brumca

Achievements for Captive Brown Bears in Europe

Milestones of the #SaddestBears campaign

Beirut Bear

The Beirut Bears: The Odyssey of Homer and Ulysses

From Lebanon to Colorado, these captive bears now have a sprawling home

Brown bears Michal and Tapsi sleeping in the woods

FAQs While Visiting a Bear Sanctuary

Our bears can choose

Bear Erich at BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach

A FOUR PAWS project for abused bears in Austria since 1998

Bear Amelia at Arosa Bear Sanctuary

Arosa Bear Sanctuary

A cooperation project between FOUR PAWS and Arosa tourism in Switzerland since 2011

Bear Standy at Belitsa

BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa

A FOUR PAWS cooperation project in Bulgaria since 2000

Bear Ruta taking a bath at BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr

The FOUR PAWS forever home for abused brown bears in the Ukraine since 2016

Bear Luna at BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz

A FOUR PAWS project in Germany since 2006

Bear Cuc BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

BEAR SANCTUARY Ninh Binh

A FOUR PAWS project in Vietnam since 2017

Bear Pashuk at BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina

A FOUR PAWS project in Kosovo since 2013

Brown bear Mark resting in the sun with his head against a treetrunk at Arbesbach

March Napness 2025

The annual sleepiest bear competition returns!

Michal napping amonst flowering trees at Muritz

March Napness 2024

The Sleepiest Bear Competition is Back

Bear sleeping at BEAR SANCTUARY Muritz

March Napness

Which bear will be the champion of sleep?

Brown bear Dushi lays on the forest floor near a tree

Awake or Just Taking a Break?

How do we know when our bears are done with their winter rest?

Bear Julia resting her head on a ball

March Napness Recap

The Nap Recap to catch you up on the sleepy action from years past

Brown Bear Sylvia eating dandelions in a field

Chef Priyanka Helps Protect Bears

Chef Priyanka Naik meets the "Dream Team" at BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz and spreads awareness for bears in need

Rescued brown bear, Mark, napping at the base of a tree comfortably

Tournament of Tired: The 2024 March Napness Competition has Begun

Bears compete for the crown, influencers and celebrities joining in

Brown bear Dushi in a field of flowers at Bear Sanctuary Muritz

March Napness: Snooze And You’ll Miss The Final Four Finale

FOUR PAWS breaks down the winners and snoozers

Chef Priyanka

Sleepiest Bear Competition Winners Celebrate with Victory Meal Made by Famed Plant-Based Chef

Rescue Bears, a.k.a. the “Dream Team”, Enjoy Dish from Award Winning Chef

Bear Ero resting on a log

Sleepy Bears

In honor of March Napness, and sleep awareness month, here's some bears catching zzz's at our sanctuaries!

Press for March Napness

People, Rescue Bear Hibernating for His First Full Winter Hopes to Win Sleepiest Bear Contest

CNN, Nothing to Snore About: March Napness Brackets

People, Rescue Bears Treated to a Fancy, Custom Meal Made by a Pro Chef to Celebrate Acing Hibernation (Exclusive)

Inspire More, Pro Chef Treats Bears To Special Meal To Celebrate Their Expert Hibernation Skills

All March Napness Press Coverage

The Secret Life of Sleeping Bears

What can we learn from bears that hibernate?

Brown bear hibernating in den with snow on ground

FAQs About Hibernation at Our Sanctuaries

Bears sitting in snow

Brown Bear: Torpor or Hibernation?

How bears doze through the cold season – eating nothing for up to three months

Bear Ema resting

10 Facts about Hibernation

Brown bear in a cage

Save The Saddest Bears

A FOUR PAWS campaign to help bears

Bear in Vietnam

Help for Bears in Vietnam

Many bears still live in tiny cages on so-called 'bear farms', abused for bile extraction

The Suffering of Baiting Bears

FOUR PAWS campaigns against illegal bear-baiting in Ukraine and rescues former baiting bears

Help for Bears

We improve the living conditions of bears in captivity worldwide