Two Adorable Rescued Sun Bears Meet and Become Instant BFFs (PHOTOS)

The Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre (BSBCC) in Sabah, Malaysia is the world’s only sun bear-focused rescue and education sanctuary in the world. With two bear houses and beautiful forest enclosures, the place is paradise for sun bears who have been rescued from dire situations.

Two of the nonprofit’s recent sun bear rescues include one-year-old female Loki, who we’ve previously profiled, and one-year-old male Sunbearo.

Out of the pair, Sunbearo was first to arrive at the BSBCC on March 10, 2014 after he was confiscated from the Mini Zoo Hot Spring in Tawau. Upon his rescue, the BSBCC writes that his hair was “in poor condition” which was most likely “due to malnourishment.”

Loki joined the BSBCC sun bear team about two weeks later on March 24, 2014. Like Sunbearo, she was in poor health for her young age and suffered from both malnourishment and emotional trauma as she spent much of her early life held as an illegal pet.

After a month of individual quarantine and attentive care, the BSBCC staff decided that Loki and Sunbearo were finally fit to meet! However, no one quite knew what would happen when the two bears were integrated.

“Fire extinguishers and buckets of water were prepared to separate them if they became aggressive with one another,” the BSBCC writes.

On April 21, the sliding gate between their two indoor enclosures was opened and to the great joy of staff, the two rescued bears immediately hit it off and became instant BBFs!

“Both of them instantly sniffed and explored all over the cages, tapping everything around and checking out the new climbing structures. After about ten minutes of sniffing, and no aggressive growls, it was PLAYTIME!” the BSBCC reports.

Without further ado, dive into the sun bear cuteness with the photos below featuring Loki and Sunbearo during their first and second meetings! Don’t they just warm your heart?

To learn more about the BSBCC, visit their website, Facebook and Survival of the Sun Bears campaign. For donation information, please click here.

All images: Chiew Lin May / Bornean Sun Bear Conservation Centre