Thanks to your generous support, Jimmy Doherty and Space for the Wild have successfully rescued Diego the brown bear, from a zoo closing down in Sweden, and welcomed him in Spring 2024 to his forever home at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park. 

Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park were made aware of the imminent closure of Orsa Predator Park in Sweden that has recently been sold to developers. The staff in Sweden were ordered to dispense of all animals & any that could not be removed were to be put to sleep. In October 2023 Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park and its official charity, Space for the Wild, embarked on a mission to save Diego, the last bear left at the disbanded Swedish zoo.  

Everyone was overwhelmed by the public support who donated to bring a bear they’d never met over to the UK. 

Jimmy Doherty, CEO of Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, was delighted at the safe arrival of Diego: 

“I couldn’t sit there and do nothing, knowing that Diego was going to be put to sleep. It’s just not right. I am over the moon that he is safely here, at his forever home, and incredibly proud of all my team and also the public who helped us get here by donating to Diego’s cause. This is a marvellous achievement – to save the life of a remarkable bear.”

Building his forever home was a race against time and Diego needed a place to sleep whilst he entered torpor (a type of hibernation) over Winter. Wildwood Trust has an incredible reputation for its work with European Brown Bears and stepped in to accommodate Diego, in Devon, by offering him a place to sleep. 

Stevie Sheppard, Space for the Wild Trustee and Park Director at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park was overjoyed saying: 

“Seeing him walk out of his crate into his home was one of the highlights of my career. From watching the tears on his keepers’ faces at the thought of losing Diego, to him now being here at his forever home – I can’t explain the joy. My team of experts are excited to get to know him, providing him with world class care. Not only is this a milestone for us but it helps us educate the public on the role of brown bears in the ecosystem.”

Diego’s story is one of hope, strength and unwavering commitment to save the life of a bear whose time was running out.  

His plight was the catalyst for the launch of Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park’s official charity, Space For The Wild.  Together we will work hard to protect and create habitats for endangered species and give more animals like Diego a second chance for life.