For the First Time, 17 Bears Rescued From Concrete Pits Feel Earth Under Their Paws

Seventeen bears that had been kept in concrete pits in captivity are now free to roam the 60-acre sanctuary. The bears were held at Georgia’s Black Forest Bear Park, where they lived in pits and begged for food from park visitors. Female bears were also bred and their pups were stolen from them as soon as they were born.

The bears were rescued and sent to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, thanks to a concerted effort by PETA, the Atlanta Humane Society, and Sam Simpson.

They have the freedom to wander, forage, and eat fresh fruits and veggies in their new habitat. These bears finally get to feel the soil and grass under their paws after years of only experiencing unyielding concrete. And because two of the bears were pregnant when they were rescued, they will be allowed to raise their own pups for the first time.

Watch the joyous reactions of some of the bears being released into their new habitat in the video below!