Coffee brand adopts orphaned sun bear cub for its rehab

A COFFEE brand inspired by the basking Malayan sun bear is now helping its kindred – an orphaned cub who was captured and about to be kept as a pet.

Bask Bear Coffee has reached out to assist in the rehabilitation and release of three-month-old Tenom, which is now under the care of the Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) near Elopura, Sabah.

A team from Bask Bear Coffee confirmed the sponsorship deal with BSBCC, where the brand will adopt Tenom for a year as the centre works to rehabilitate the cub and prepare her for an eventual return to the wild.

BSBCC chief executive officer and founder Dr Wong Siew Te and the team “introduced” Tenom after a symbolic “handover” of a placard signifying Bask Bear Coffee’s intention to help the cub return to the jungle.

“When we read in the news about Tenom’s rescue, we felt we had to do something,” said Loob Holding Sdn Bhd chief executive officer and founder Bryan Loo. Loob is the brand owner of Bask Bear Coffee.

“We immediately reached out to BSBCC to start the ball rolling.

“Bask Bear Coffee had collaborated with BSBCC several years ago, so we’re familiar with the excellent work of the centre and its founder Dr Wong.

“Our hope is that Tenom will be able to return to her natural home after undergoing rehabilitation at the centre.”

On the plight of the species, he said, “As a brand that is closely identified with the endangered Malayan sun bear, we wish to spread the message that bears are not to be hunted or kept as pets.

“We hope to do our part in helping conservation of our sun bears which are very much a part of our national heritage.”

Loo added that Bask Bear Coffee would look into initiatives that would get customers involved in Tenom’s rehabilitation and eventual return to the jungle.

Dr Wong, in thanking Bask Bear Coffee for the sponsorship, said he hoped this contribution would help raise awareness that sun bears were protected animals.

“We hope this adoption will raise awareness that more needs to be done for our bears and would encourage others to join our ‘Adopt a Sun Bear’ campaign,” he said.

“Tenom is playful, curious and full of energy. We are happy that Tenom did not end up being someone’s pet and living in a tiny cage.

“We will continue to do our best to create the ideal environment for Tenom to grow as naturally as possible and be returned to the forest one day.”