In December 2018, the residents of the Kamchatka Penninsula in far-east Russia found a malnourished and starving 10-month old bear aimlessly wandering about the freezing streets. She was crying out helplessly for food. This was a typical Kamchatka brown bear, famous for being the largest in Eurasia.
The residents gave her food, shelter, and a new name – Mashka. Upon learning that her mother was dead, they also began looking out for a new and safe home for her. After much searching, they finally found that the best fit would be the Feniks Animal Rehabilitation Centre, located in Kaluga, in the west of Russia.
However, transporting the animal across the breadth of the country would require a considerable amount of resources and money. And here is when the power of social media came into play! The Director of the Feniks Centre, Veronika Matyushina set up a Facebook account for Mashka and asked people to donate towards the 220,000 rouble cost. ($3288)
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Bears are much loved in Russia and this story soon caught the attention of the local media resulting in donations pouring in from across the country. Soon enough, the required funds were raised and Mashka was ready to be transported to her new home.
Her Facebook page keeps giving its followers regular updates. And looks like Mashka is all set to reach her new home on 22 January.
Wishing that this new home gives her all the love and she grows into a majestic Kamchatka bear!
