White Rock Bear Shelter is a small sanctuary in Ukraine for bears located in the village of Chubynske, approximately 34 kilometers outside Kiev. The Shelter was first established in 2012, and in 2018 came under the management of the Ukraine International Fund “Save Wild”. During the 2022 Russian invasion, military engagements took place within a half mile of White Rock Bear Shelter. With the assistance of Save Wild, an emergency 24-hour evacuation of seven resident bears occurred, and the bears were transported safely to Bear Sanctuary Domazhyr (operated by FOUR PAWS in Western Ukraine), and to partner facilities in Germany.
White Rock’s mission is to rescue bears suffering from human cruelty and to rehabilitate and treat them. The bears often come from circuses, menageries or used at baiting stations. White Rock has recently expanded its mission to rescue other large carnivores caught in the conflict zone or abandoned by private owners, leading to the creation of dedicated wolf and wolfdog environments.
Because many rescued bears have suffered lifelong injuries (such as blindness and tooth decay suffered by circus bears), they cannot be rewilded. The animals undergo critical psychological and medical rehabilitation while at the shelter. Once the bears are stabilized, residents are either permanently homed on-site or transferred onward to larger partner sanctuaries. Certain animals require permanent residency at White Rock due to extreme medical vulnerabilities, advanced age, or because of a highly specific behavioral profile. For younger, healthier, or more socially flexible animals, White Rock acts as a critical intermediate stepping stone. Once an animal is determined to be physically sound, behaviorally stable, and comfortable in large outdoor settings, White Rock Bear Shelter routes them to other partner sanctuaries.
White Rock features semi-naturalistic enclosures equipped with remote-controlled safety gates, subterranean security fences, climbing structures, custom dens, and swimming pools. The staff encourages natural behaviors by using food enrichment methods, which involve scattering and hiding meals across the bears habitat to simulate natural digging, foraging, and problem-solving.
Two former circus bears currently live at White Rock; an elderly Tian Shan bear named “Chada” and a brown bear named “Synochok.”
Chada
Chada was born on Christmas Day, December 24, 1998, at the Kyiv Zoo. She was sold to the National Circus of Ukraine at an early age, a common occurrence at the time. She spent twelve long years in traveling circus shows. Eventually, her owners abandoned her in a small, rusty cage in an industrial area in Belogorodka near Kyiv. Chada was finally rescued and brought to White Rock in July 2019. Sadly, Chada was nearly blind and had lost many of her teeth. She is one of the animals with special needs that require a lifelong home at the shelter. Chada has completely transformed from when White Rock first took her in. She loves water and splashing, working on her den, and playing with big branches and other enriching items.
Synochok
Synochok was rescued after nine years of working in a circus. The circus owners eventually decided to stop performances with predators and voluntarily relinquished Synochok and another bear to White Rock Bear Shelter. Veterinarians diagnosed him with heart and dental damage from biting at the metal cage he lived in and serious behavioral issues from his life with the circus. Synochok is now one of the sanctuary’s most active bears, famous for playing with logs. He re-equipped his den, dug a ditch inside and changed the height of the walls. He has also entered his first true winter hibernation.
We at Tigers in America are pleased to provide financial support for a new bear enclosure so that more bears can be rescued and rehabilitated at White Rock Bear Shelter.