Syrian brown bears give owner hugs

WPVI logo
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
Syrian brown bears give owner hugs
Two Syrian brown bears named Amy and Jenny enjoy playing with Jim Kowalczik, one of the founders of OrphanedWildlife.org.

Two Syrian brown bears named Amy and Jenny enjoy playing with Jim Kowalczik, one of the founders of OrphanedWildlife.org.

The bears are both 15 years old and were part of a failed breeding program set up to save their endangered breed. When the program failed, Jim and Susan Kowalczik took Amy and Jenny into their wildlife animal sanctuary, according to Kerry Clair, who recorded the video.

The Syrian brown bear population is diminishing due to habitat loss and poaching. The bears are native to the Middle East.

The Orphaned Wildlife Center, located in Otisville, New York, is home to eleven different types of bears: