In a case with striking parallels with that of world-famous polar bear Knut, Medo, who takes his name from the Slovenian word for bear, wandered into the garden of the Logar family in the Slovenian village of Podvrh four weeks ago.
He looked gaunt and subdued, having most likely been abandoned by his mother. The Logar family were cautious at first, but the plight of the young bear won over their misgivings about engaging with a wild species.
“One morning when we woke up, we found him together with the dog, they were next to the dog house. At first we left him alone, we thought that his mother was close by. When she still hadn’t come by the afternoon, we approached him and saw that he was very emaciated. For the first few days we were not sure he will make it,” Matjaz Logar said.
The bear weighed a gaunt 3 kilos (6.6 pounds) when it arrived at the Logars, but regular meals and treats mean he quickly made up the difference and is now a healthy 15 kilos (33 pounds).
Apart from the curious exploration of his environment by climbing up trees and sniffing around like any young animal, Medo likes to play fight with his human family, and is especially attached to the family’s dogs. By now a member of the family, the Logars cannot imagine him not being around.
