Millions of wild animals all over the world are taken from their natural environments and bred in captivity for entertainment and profit.  

Seeing wild animals when you travel can be such an excited part of any travel experience. You may even be asked to pose with animals for photos or be offered animal souvenirs such a teeth or bones. Often, the worst cruelty is hidden from human’s eye.  

Bears are kept in tiny cages and suffer horrific mental and physical pain as a syringe is repeatedly pushed through the bear’s skin into the gall bladder to extract bear bile to sell to tourists. Dolphins in captivity live in small tanks. It is important to understand that dolphins and all sea animals in the oceans are used to travel long distances (some species up to 200 kilometers a day). They are very intelligent and a capable of developing a wide range of emotions, many end up suffering depression after being separated from their families and previous groups. Usually, owners do not pay attention on animals' socialization in captivity they suffer aggressions that in the oceans they can avoid by leaving the group, the same feel bears and other wild mammals who get together in one area without considering the behavior of wild animals. 

Unfortunately, many tourists who love nature may unknowingly finance abuse of wild animals. 

A captive wild animal can never truly experience a life free from suffering and cruelty. No matter how well they are looked after in captivity, only in their wild environment can all their needs be fully met. Before to visit wild animals in captivity think about that as your investing in animal cruelty. 

There are situations when animals have been removed from zoos, circuses and can no longer return to the wild. In BEAR SANCTUARY Domazhyr for now live 30 bears which have conditions as close as possible to natural and are undergoing rehabilitation from previous life experience in circus, zoos, and hunting stations. We have visitors for educating that as tourists we have to make animal-friendly choices when we`re on vacation. Whether it’s riding an elephant; posing for a photograph with a tiger; or visiting a dolphin show, watching show with animals in circus, these tourist activities involving wild animals will continue to exist if there is a demand for them. 

What can you do? Many cruel establishments and breeding facilities are now marketing their animal prisons as “sanctuaries” or “rescues”. Begin even before booking your trip and courses by doing a bit of research, alerting authorities on suspected abuse, and following up on your return home. Next time when you are planning to visit animals think about that: 

• Do these animals have species appropriate space to live in?
• Do these animals have food and water?
• Do animals have places to hide?
• Do the animals “act naturally”?
• Do the animals are being exploited? 

Remember that every contact with human such a ride or photo or stuff like that is a huge stress for the wild animal. 

You have an amazing chance as a tourist to help stop this animal abuse, simply by making animal-friendly choices when you’re on vacation.