First footage of Bara

For 27 years, Bara knew only life behind bars.

Rescued from one of South Korea’s last bear bile farms, he spent almost three decades confined to the same small, rusting metal cage.

Today, Bara is finally safe.

His remarkable journey is one of hope, resilience and second chances, and we cannot wait to welcome him to his forever home at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park.

Bara (바라) is the first of our five rescued Moon Bears to be introduced through the Bears Behind Bars campaign.

His name means “To Watch, To Hope”, a fitting tribute to a bear who waited patiently for a future that must have seemed impossible.

Despite everything he has endured, Bara has remained gentle, curious and remarkably resilient.

Bara arrived on the bear bile farm as a cub in 1998.

For the next 27 years, he lived in the same cramped metal cage, deprived of the freedom every bear deserves.

Like so many bears caught in the bear bile industry, he was denied the opportunity to climb, forage, swim or simply explore the world around him.

Yet somehow, his spirit remained unbroken.

Now living safely at the government sanctuary in South Korea, Bara is beginning to experience things he had never known before.

One of his favourite discoveries has been something many of us take for granted.

Water.

Having never seen a proper pool before, Bara approached his first bath with curiosity and excitement, exploring the water as though discovering an entirely new world.

Soon, we hope he’ll be paddling in the lakes around the Moon Bear Islands at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park, enjoying the freedom to swim whenever he chooses.

Another of Bara’s new discoveries is honey.

When Jimmy first met Bara, he was given honey for the very first time.

It quickly became one of his favourite treats.

Before long, we hope he’ll be enjoying honey produced by Jimmy’s Farm’s own beehives as part of his new life in Suffolk.

Sometimes the smallest experiences remind us just how much these bears have missed.

Bara and his bear family have been cleared to travel, but one final challenge remains.

We are now raising the remaining funds needed to bring all five rescued Moon Bears safely to their forever home in Suffolk.

Your donation will help fund specialist transport, veterinary care, bespoke travel crates and the final preparations for their woodland reserve.

Every donation, no matter the size, brings Bara one step closer to the peaceful life he has waited 27 years to experience.

Donate today and help bring Bara home: https://gofund.me/74bc01ace

Each of our five rescued Moon Bears has their own remarkable story of survival, resilience and hope.

Over the course of this week, we’ll introduce each bear as they prepare for the journey to their forever home at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park.

🐻 Bara (To Watch, To Hope) ✓

🐻 Yong-gi (Courage) ✓

🐻 Huimang (Hope) ✓

🐻 Saebit (New Light)

🐻 Rumi (Beautiful Light)

Follow their stories as each bear is revealed.

Find out more about our Moon Bear Rescue mission.