VZCZCXRO9337
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDBU RUEHFK RUEHHM RUEHKSO RUEHLN RUEHNAG RUEHPB RUEHSK
RUEHYG
DE RUEHVK #0009/01 0400449
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090449Z FEB 10
FM AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1256
INFO RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 0546
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHZU/ASIAN PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION COLLECTIVE
RUEHVK/AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 1379

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VLADIVOSTOK 000009 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV SCUL PGOV RS
SUBJECT: BEARS FIND A HOME THAT'S JUST RIGHT IN THE FAR EAST 
 
VLADIVOSTO 00000009  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
Summary 
 
 
 
¶1.  Bears and pensioners, both prisoners of the Russian 
bureaucracy, are trying to survive together.  Mr. Ivan Leschenko 
and his wife, Lyubov, have "inherited" a wildlife refuge for 
eight Himalayan bears.  The regional government considers the 
Himalayan bear to be property of the state, but it does not 
provide any financial support for this shelter.  The Leschenko's 
have no choice but to manage this shelter on their modest 
retirement income. 
 
 
 
Past . . . 
 
 
 
¶2.  During Mr. Leschenko's 40 years as a game warden, he saved 
many wild animals that were injured by poachers, including 
tigers, bears and wild boars.  Ten years ago, regional 
authorities created a shelter for wounded or abandoned animals 
in the town of Dubovy Klyuch (less than two hours from 
Vladivostok).  The shelter was run by Mr. Leschenko and located 
next to his summer hut.  Fences, cages and provisions were 
funded by the regional hunting department.  Hunters, 
environmentalists, or concerned local citizens brought injured 
and abandoned animals to Mr. Leschenko.   In 2006, the nature 
protection agency was restructured and the district hunting 
management department was closed.  Mr. Leschenko was dismissed 
and the shelter's funding was stopped.  Instead of relocating 
the animals, the regional government simply abandoned them.  Mr. 
Leschenko, age 75, and his wife, Lyubov, age 74, now privately 
manage the unsanctioned refuge. 
 
 
 
¶3.  This shelter is technically operating without a license. 
Aleksey Surovyi of the Primorye Regional Hunting Management 
Department advised reporters that Mr. Leschenko is considered "a 
law breaker, since he keeps bears illegally, without a special 
license."  A license cannot be issued since the regional 
government has no records of the shelter, and at the same time, 
the regional government will not subsidize the refuge since it 
is operating without proper authorization.  The bears cannot be 
released into the wild since they have been in captivity  too 
long and will not survive on their own.  Himalayan bears are 
considered state property and cannot be sold or placed in a zoo 
without special authorization. 
 
 
 
¶4.  Upon closure of the shelter, Mr. Leschenko performed the 
required treatment of the injured animals and released most of 
them into the wild, with the exception of eleven bears that had 
been raised by humans since they were cubs.  The Leschenkos 
explored the possibility of placing the bears in zoos or 
circuses, but because of lack of appropriate documentation, 
their attempts were futile.  The government would not provide 
the necessary authorization, and instead totally erased this 
shelter from state documents.  Several attempts by Leschenko to 
draw officials' attention to the needs of the shelter were 
ineffective.   The Leschenko's had no choice but to manage this 
shelter on their modest retirement income. 
 
 
 
Present . . . 
 
 
 
¶5.  The Leschenkos spend two thirds of their modest retirement 
income to feed the bears.  Additional costs are covered by 
donations from a few local citizens, random visitors, an 
occasional businessman, and U.S. Consulate staff.  Visitors 
report that the bears appear to be in good health and live in 
good conditions.  In late fall, "officials" visited the bear 
refuge and removed the three oldest bears.  Mr. Leschenko was 
advised that they were being relocated to another shelter which 
would be more comfortable for large bears.  Mr. Leschenko 
contacted this other shelter and learned that the bears were 
never delivered.  It is Mr. Leschenko's opinion that the bears 
were delivered to a hunting farm and killed by game hunters who 
paid a hefty fee for this privilege of hunting "wild bears". 
 
 
 
. . . and Future of the Shelter 
 
 
 
VLADIVOSTO 00000009  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
¶6.  There is discussion that the newly organized Primorye Nature 
Resource and Protection Department may establish another 
official wildlife shelter.  This could be an ideal solution for 
the bears, however, discussions to create a new shelter are only 
beginning.   The Leschenko's realize that they need to find 
someone with a love for wildlife to take over for them when they 
pass away. 
 
 
 
Comment 
 
 
 
¶7.  The current Russian system has already demonstrated its 
inability or unwillingness to handle wildlife issues unless 
intervention is dictated at the highest level.  The endangered 
Amur Tiger benefited from this intervention when a special 
program was created to protect the tiger's habitat in two 
national parks -- Udege Legend and Zov Tigra.  Even Vladivostok 
Mayor Igor Pushlaryov supported the tigers with a contribution 
to the Yudin's wildlife rehabilitation center located in 
Gaivoron, to the northwest of Vladivostok.  Such support is much 
appreciated by conservationists, but immediate action is 
required from the Russian federal government to stop poaching 
and to enforce efficient environmental protection policies.  In 
the meantime, the Leschenko's are providing at least a temporary 
haven for some very lucky Himalayan bears. 
ARMBRUSTER