Ukrainian Bear Cub Rescued From Animal Traders

LUTSK, Ukraine -- A four-month-old bear cup that was illegally taken from its mother in a Ukrainian zoo and sold to animal traders has been rescued by a German animal charity. Nastia was sold by Lutsk zoo to an animal trader who wanted to sell her as a photo model for tourists. In a distressing video on YouTube, the cub can be heard screaming as it she was pushed into a transport box too small for her. Since the footage was aired by the charity Four Paws, the group enlisted the help of the authorities and Nastia has now been freed. Footage of the rescue was posted on Thursday. Dr Amir Khalil, head of the Four Paws project in Ukraine, who examined Nastia after she was rescued, said: "She is very anxious, malnourished and suffers from diarrhea." "I was horrified to see the cruel treatment of Nastia and I am relieved that we could rescue her. But there is still so much work for us to do." "A baby bear in the wild usually spends two years with its mother. Taking it away so young would leave the tiny bear traumatized."