Meet
Ben

Ben, a black bear born in 2001, arrived at PAWS on August 10, 2012. For six long years, he lived in a cramped 12×22-foot chain-link and cement enclosure at a North Carolina tourist attraction – a stark contrast to the 40 or more acres that bears naturally roam. He endured a life on display, with gawking visitors who occasionally tossed him scraps of bread.

Two concerned citizens filed a lawsuit on Ben’s behalf, claiming that living conditions were far below minimum requirements set by state law. After more than a year of legal battles, a judge finally ruled in Ben’s favor. PAWS’ co-founder Ed Stewart personally accompanied Ben on his journey to California aboard a FedEx-donated flight cheerfully dubbed “Bear Force One” by the crew.

Today, Ben lives in a two-acre habitat filled with trees, grass and his own pool — one of six habitats designed specifically for bears in the Bob Barker Bear Habitat at PAWS. Despite being born in captivity, Ben’s wild instincts are undeniable. Each fall, he expertly shakes the oak trees in his habitat, making tasty acorns fall to the ground – a small but powerful reminder of the bear he was meant to be.