Raising Orphaned Bear Cubs for Release in the Tver Forests

Founded in 1990 by biologist Valentin Pazhetnov and now run by his son Sergey, the center takes in brown bear cubs orphaned by hunting, logging, or accidental separation from their mothers, raising them with minimal human contact using a rehabilitation method now used as far away as Korea and India. Cubs are released back into the forests they came from, typically in autumn, and some are tracked afterward to confirm they survive independently. As of July 2026 the center had rescued and released 332 bears over 31 years of continuous operation across more than 20 Russian regions, with 14 cubs from the current season in rehabilitation. It is one of a shrinking number of Russian wildlife organizations still operating and publishing regular updates amid a difficult climate for independent conservation groups.