Bear brothers rescued and rehomed on the Isle of Wight are settling into their new habitat, just over 24 hours after their arrival.
Benji and Balu took their first steps out of their new bedrooms this morning, venturing into their outside yard despite the rain.
Wildheart Animal Sanctuary has shared a whole raft of new images of the bears as they settle into their new habitat.
Scroll through the gallery above
As previously reported by the County Press, the European brown bears, who are believed to 13 years of age, arrived yesterday morning (Wednesday).
Read more: Mission accomplished! Rescue bears rehomed at Island sanctuary
Their journey from Azerbaijan saw them fly 3,000 miles, on a six hour flight, to Glasgow airport, and then to Wightlink's terminal in Portsmouth.
Benji and Balu are the first bears to step foot on the Isle of Wight in 30 years.
Yesterday, the sanctuary said visitors are welcome to access the new viewing platform but the bears may not be visible while they are settling in.
However, sanctuary staff opened the door to their outside yard area this morning and they have been looking around.
benji and Balu's new 3,500 square home features grass, trees and places to hibernate, with a varied diet and expert care to aid in their rehabilitation.
As bears like to be up high, there is even a platform, allowing them to see the sea.
There is also a nine foot deep pond, acting like a physiotherapy pool and allowing them to cool down in hot weather.
Water in the pond comes from a state-of-the-art harvesting system, which captures rainwater from the attraction’s cafe roof in large tanks.
It has been made possible thanks to a £200,000 grant from Southern Water.
The firm has also created a SuDS (Sustainable Drainage Scheme) Safari at the sanctuary, which gathers rainwater and uses gravity to create a rainwater curtain, children’s mud kitchen, and wetland plant area at various locations across the site.
Benji and Balu were found malnourished, starving and underweight, with severe damage to their teeth from stress-induced bar-biting.
Since fundraising efforts got underway over a year ago, over £217,000 has been raised for the brothers, smashing the original £150,000 target.
