In 1993, Perth grandmother Mary Hutton watched a television program that would change her life. It contained horrifying footage of moon bears (Asiatic Black bears) held in coffin sized cages unable to move, with dirty catheters inserted directly into their gall bladder to 'milk' their bile for traditional 'medicine'.

Mary learned that thousands of bears were being held in these horrifying conditions throughout Asia, regularly milked for their bile to be used in traditional medicines.

The next day, Mary drew up a petition and collected signatures to help “Free the Bears”. She collected thousands of signatures, as well as a group of people determined to help bears. In 1995 the Free the Bears Fund was registered as a not-for-profit charity.

Since then, Free the Bears has worked tirelessly to address the plight of bears subject to unspeakable cruelty, via education, and with other wildlife conservation organisations and governments to strengthen laws and increase capacity for enforcement, working with traditional medicine practitioners to promote synthetic and herbal alternatives to bear bile, and addressing consumer demand with education campaigns about the cruelty inflicted upon bears in farms. They work with government authorities who confiscate bears (and other illegally held wildlife), handing them over to Free the Bears for rescue and rehabilitation.

Closer to home, Woombye’s Wildlife HQ provides a sanctuary to ambassador animals from around the world, including their 16 year old Sun Bear, Marley, whose parents were rescued by Free the Bears.

“We are incredibly fortunate to be able to play host to the current Free the Bears CEO, Matt Hunt, who will speak to our guests during a special nocturnal zoo tour fundraising event,” said Wildlife HQ spokesperson, Nikki Mikula.

“Our nocturnal tours have become very popular, and we are going to use the tour on Friday March 7, to raise awareness of and funds for Free the Bears.”

The tour starts at 6.30pm and numbers will be kept small, so email info@whqzoo.com to secure your ticket.