READ MORE ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGNS FOR BEARS

WSPA's 2003 investigative report, "Begging for Change" (click here to download the PDF version of the report) exposed the ongoing cruelty and animal welfare abuses in Japan's seven bear parks. Working in coordination with All Life in a Viable Environment (ALIVE), a WSPA member society in Japan, our investigators found the following disturbing conditions at the parks:

Overcrowding
As many as 10 to 20 bears may share an enclosure no bigger than a basketball court. In the wild, bears are mostly solitary and may travel several miles in one day.

Unnatural environment
The majority of bear park enclosures are made of concrete and offer no environmental enrichment.

Lack of shelter
Most of the bears are completely exposed to the elements during the day. They endure rainstorms, snowstorms and intense heat - all with no shelter.

Untreated wounds
Approximately 20 percent of Japan's captive bears have wounds or injuries from the overcrowded conditions. Only three of the parks have on-site veterinarians, so health issues routinely go untreated.    

Progress in some of the parks

As a result of the Begging for Change report and the ensuing negative publicity, one park, Jozankei, has announced it will close, and two others are likely to follow suit. Noboribetsu Park has put forward plans to put 20 of its bears into a forested enclosure in 2005.

The next steps

WSPA is working to raise public awareness in Japan and press for radical improvements at the park.

• We are demanding the closure of all bear parks that do not address the animal welfare issues at their facilities.
• We are pressing for new legislation and effective enforcement to protect captive wildlife.
• We are sending a video of the appalling conditions in the parks to influential Japanese politicians.
• We have offered technical advice to managers to help them transform the parks into forested sanctuaries.
  Your gift can make all the difference!

Public awareness in Japan about the cruelty involved in bear parks is at an all-time high. Since tourist dollars drive the industry, bear park managers are sensitive to public opinion. Your gift is urgently needed today to help us to capitalize on the momentum we've created and achieve lasting change for the bears.