A Russian pilot who rescued a bear cub abandoned on an airfield has developed a special relationship with him— and their unique bond has touched the hearts of many.
Pilots at the airfield believed that Mansur’s mother was killed by hunters, leaving the cub alone and defenseless.
After rescuing Mansur, the pilots took him under their care, with pilot Andrey Ivanov taking on the role of Mansur’s primary caretaker.
At the Orlovka air base in Amur Oblast, the cub enjoyed a life of recreation, playing around the airfield and in the planes.
One day, when Mansur was found misbehaving, the pilots locked him out of the plane they were in, and Mansur began to cry. Mr. Ivanov started stroking his fur to comfort him. A grateful Mansur met Mr. Ivanov’s affection with a pat on his leg. This heartwarming moment marked the beginning of Mr. Ivanov’s strong bond with Mansur.
The pilots had originally planned to release Mansur back into the wild, but the bear had become too domesticated for that. Eventually, it was decided that the perfect home for Mansur would be the Seliger Nature Reserve.
“A local official from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology volunteered to help,” Mr. Ivanov said. “We trusted him, but we wanted to keep an eye on our bear—yet this official did not tell us how Mansur was doing.”
After being met with silence, the pilots investigated to see what had happened to the bear.
They discovered that Mansur wasn’t taken to Seliger, but instead to a “bear-baiting station” in the Kaluga region of Russia. Here, Mansur was found to be regularly chained and covered in his own excrement while dogs attacked him.
The heroic pilots then organized a rescue operation to free Mansur, bringing him back to the air base. Mansur immediately recognized his caretakers and gave them hugs, jumping into Mr. Ivanov’s lap upon seeing him.
“We rescued him, and from that moment, we didn’t even think about letting Mansur be taken by anyone else. … He is part of our team,” Mr. Ivanov said.
Once Mansur returned to the airfield, Mr. Ivanov and his team helped raise $46,000 to create a shelter for Mansur. A “den” was made for him, and Mr. Ivanov spent time laying with Mansur to coax him into hibernation. Exercising caution, the pilots also installed electronic fencing to protect humans in the unlikely event that Mansur would decide to attack.
Netizens all around the world care deeply for Mansur.
“It’s unfortunate that he can’t be released into the wild, but because of the compassion of that man, the bear has the next best thing. He’s happy, healthy, well cared for, and safe. Well done!” wrote one YouTube user.
“Thank God above for people who help the helpless and have so much compassion for animals in need,” wrote another commenter.
Mansur never fails to respect Mr. Ivanov’s authority, licking his face to show him his gratitude. He also enjoys wrestling with Mr. Ivanov. Although Mansur weighs 584 pounds (as of June 2023) and can easily crack a coconut, he’s gentle with Mr. Ivanov and is careful not to harm him when they are “wrestling.”
Mr. Ivanov and the pilots are cautious with the bear, only initiating communication with him when he is calm. They refrain from communicating with Mansur when he—or one of them—is not in a good mood. This seems to be successful and prevents conflicts from arising between humans and the bear.
Mansur enjoys a variety of foods—everything from watermelon to nuts—and consumes about 33 pounds each day. He also enjoys playing with water and bathing. In the winter, like any other bear, he hibernates.
Although Mr. Ivanov resides and works in Moscow, Russia, he takes time to bond with Mansur whenever he can. As much as Mr. Ivanov adores him, he is disappointed by the fact that Mansur will never be able to return to his natural habitat. The pilot dreams of opening a bear rehabilitation facility for injured bears to receive treatment and then be released back into the wild.
