What follows is an email string from concerned people around the world, related to the Moonbear rescue efforts. If you are intrigued, please check out the Animals Asia website: www.animalsasia.org

I am so sorry to hear about Naji and write this e-mail in tears.  As you may remember, I visited Chengdu and got to see first hand the remarkable work that they do there.  As Cath said, Naji never knew anything but fun and freedom unlike most of the bears who have survived horrible torture. 

I was there before Naji was brought to the sanctuary but got to see Peanut and I am certain that there was no maliciousness towards him - very likely a rough-housing accident.  These bears are solitary souls in the wild and to see them play and cuddle together leads one to believe that perhaps their suffering was being rewarded with a lifestyle better than they would have known outside of the sanctuary.

While I mourn the loss of Naji I encourage you to continue your foster parent roles (perhaps for one of the babies coming out of Vietnam) as well as your role as educators.  There are some great sites on the web that you can link to and hopefully lead others to take on the fight for the Moon Bears.  Ongoing contests and fundraisers will only help others in the memory of one lucky little bear - the “Naji Fund”. 

You’ve done a great thing and while this is tragic, please do not let it stop you in your efforts to end the suffering.

I’m sadden by the news and my thoughts are with you both.

Sheri

Hi everyone

I’m afraid we have some very sad news for you all. A couple of days ago, our beloved Moon Bear cub “Naji” died suddenly. We are all devastated here at “Beary Cheap” & we know many of you will be upset by this terrible news. Rather than try & explain the circumstances, below is a copy of the email received from Jill Robinson at the Moon Bear Sanctuary in Chengdu, China.

Cindy & Derek

Dear everyone,I just don’t know where to even begin with one of the saddest messages I have ever written - and know this news will come as a terrible shock to you, as it has to everyone in

Chengdu. Naji died suddenly on Wednesday and, whilst no-one was there to see it happen, the lack of any associated noise and the wound itself looked to Cath and the vet team to be tragically “play gone wrong”. Naji was found just seconds after lunch with a wound in his lower abdomen which had caused him to bleed to death. He had been captured on video just minutes before playing with best friend Peanut in the enclosure outside.

This brave little bear had integrated so well into the natural enclosure of House 6 with disabled bears like Freedom, Prince, Douglas, the cubs, and all the other bears who welcomed this ball of naughtiness into the fold. After weeks of joyous play, Peanut is apparently wandering around listlessly looking for his friend and no-one on site can believe that he’s gone.I wasn’t there as am in the UK in the middle of our Roadshow but, over the past few hours since he died, the emails have been flooding in from our Chinese and Western staff just stunned and broken that something so unforeseen and premature has happened to our beloved Naji.One thought from Angela has comforted a lot of people - that Uncle Andrew is caring for him now - but I think it’s going to be a long, long time before anyone in Chengdu can come to terms with his death and, again, I am so, so sorry to be passing on this news.I’d like to leave you with Cath’s conclusion after a harrowing Post Mortem by our brave vet team who never in their wildest dreams expected to see him on the table, together with her beautiful poem, just for Naji, which was translated and read out at his funeral by a heartbroken team.On the afternoon of Wednesday 27th June Naji’s life was cut tragically short. An accident during play resulted in a deep wound to a main artery causing fatal blood loss. There was no sign that there was a deliberate attack. Needless to say, the loss of our lively, mischievous baby has left us all deeply shocked. There is some comfort in the fact that his passing would have been quick.  Thank you for all you gave in your short time with us Naji. RIP.——-Dear Naji,

During your life you knew love from the start
And when you arrived captured everyone’s heart.
So bold, full of mischief, naughty and fun,
You loved to play in the warmth of the sun.
You had good friends, both human and bear,
Who cherished your joy in a life free of care.
You brought us all laughter, you made us all smile
As you embraced your new life in your own Naji style.
Yet today we find ourselves saying goodbye.
Hearts heavy with grief, we can only ask why.
Your spirit too free to remain with us here,
Your soul so precious, forever held dear.
Your life was a happy one; you knew not the pain
Or the suffering of so many bears that remain
In their tortuous world. Tell them they’re not alone.
Hope will come again, one day they will come home.
So as you must go, then go with our love.
You live on in our hearts as we look up above.
Evermore in our thoughts, you left us too soon,
But your spirit shines on by the light of the moon.

Cath xxx 
RIP little Naji - we all loved you, Jillx