Bear cages
Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) Bear House
The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) provides welfare and rehabilitation for captive bears confiscated by the Sabah Wildlife Department. For bears that are not suitable for rehabilitation, the bear house and forest enclosure will be their home for life and must provide an enriching environment.
The enclosure is where many captive bears get their first experience of the forest and for some, it may be the first step towards rehabilitation to the wild. The bear house provides 36 dens for bears, each of which has direct access into a forest enclosure.
The bear house is designed to ensure ease of use and safety for the keepers while also ensuring comfort for the bears. Each den has elevated sleeping nests, feeder trays, water points and fitting for temporary enrichment such as logs, tyre swings and hammocks.
With so many captive bears in one space, health is an important design requiremenet. Squeeze cages are provided so that basic medical checks can be made without anaesthetic. Every den has interlocking doors to move bears around for ease of cleaning and a robust drainage system has been designed.
Project Data
Status: Bear House No.1 Completed 2012, Bear House No.2 Completed 2014
Contract Sum: Bear House No.1= MYR 700,000, Bear House No.2= MYR 1,100,000
GFA: 310m2
Design Team: Ian Hall, Billy Dunn, Tan Su Mei, Jonathan Dolan
Sun bears are a totally protected species in Malaysia and threatened throughout their range by habitat loss and poaching. Many bears are captured for sale on the black market or to be kept as pets. BSBCC answers the animal welfare needs of captive bears confiscated by the Sabah Wildlife Department. Many of these animals will need to spend the rest of their lives in captivity, while a few of the young bears will be suitable for rehabilitation.
