Our beautiful Banjo with his brown, melting eyes continues to captivate everyone he meets. Rescued in 2000, Banjo clearly knows the routine of the sanctuary and if he sees us walk into the dens, he knows that there is usually a good chance of a treat if he can run inside quickly enough and make himself look cute. Of course he never fails – especially as he still retains the trick of behaving like a penguin; standing on his gangly back legs and walking upright along the dens until he’s persuaded us that he’s just too adorable to ignore.

Bodo came to us in November 2003 as a young, anxious bear missing his right forepaw, a sign that he had most likely been snared in the wild. Putting his years on a bile farm behind him, Bodo settled in well at our China sanctuary and is now a kind and gentle bear, sporting a beautiful thin V-shaped crescent on his chest. He gets on well with all of the other bears in House 5, making him a wonderful peacemaker. Bodo is often seen breaking up trouble in the gentlest way, sometimes stepping in between his agitated friends to restore calm, or when all else fails, simply dragging one bear away using his good front limb! This brave and kind boy, who has overcome his disability to take care of other bears, is much loved by all the sanctuary staff.

The beautiful Dream Mischa Tebs arrived at our Moon Bear Rescue Centre, Vietnam in December 2011 after a four-day road trip. With her damaged paws and teeth such a mess she could barely eat, the rescue team was anxious to get her home. Poor Dream Mischa Tebs is missing one front paw and the other one is severely crippled.

After a health check, some major dental work and a lot of tender, loving care, Dream Mischa Tebs began to recover and has since thrived at the rescue centre. Now happily ensconced in her own den in River House, she spends her days enjoying the space, climbing up to the platforms to look out at the mountains, and resting in her hanging basket bed.

Freedom was among the first group of rescued bears to arrive at our newly-opened rescue centre in 2000. She shares House 6 with a mix of bears - able-bodied, lively youngsters and more sedate oldsters - and gets along well with everyone. The loss of Freedom's two front limbs from being wild-caught has never been a problem for this heroic and beautiful bear and despite her disability, she moves quickly when the mood takes her and loves to forage for the sweet, juicy fruits hidden in the enclosures. She is good friends with the lovely Prince and together they enjoy early-morning tumbles in the grass and lazy afternoons by the pool. Freedom is determined to enjoy every moment of her new life in the sun.

George was among a group of 28 bears rescued in 2008 who were in the worst condition we had ever seen, with many dying within days of rescue. George was one of the lucky ones, having survived years on a bile farm, trapped in a tiny cage, unable to stand or even move properly.

Despite this, George is an amazingly friendly and sociable bear, and was eager to make friends from the day he arrived. He is a relatively small bear with a short crescent on his chest but definitely, a big heart! George is very active and vivacious, loves playing with Gypsy, taking dips in the water, and generally teasing other bears. He is in his element outdoors in the enclosure with his new friends.

Irwin Junior and his brother, Yin Yang, were discovered hidden under a bus. They were being smuggled from Laos into Vietnam and no doubt on to a life of misery on a farm. When he was rescued in June 2008, Irwin Jnr weighed just 2.4kg. Nine months and many servings of good food later, he weighed in at a healthy 63kg. This lovely boy, who shares a den with his partner in crime, Yin Yang, is bursting with energy. Now integrated and sharing the outdoor enclosures with a large group of energetic, juvenile bears, the two spend each day playing - wrestling, climbing, swinging, splashing in cool baths and generally causing chaos.

Stuck up a tree on farmland on a freezing cold evening in 2009 in China, Jingle was lucky to be found not too far away from our rescue centre in Chengdu. After a dramatic rescue from a height of 12m, Jingle was taken safely home – a tiny, undernourished girl aged about six months old.

Little Jingle is missing her right front paw, probably a result of being snared in the wild, and we believe she either escaped from a farm or while being transported to one. She has grown into a happy, playful and sociable little bear who loves the company of the other bears in her house and can often be found playing in the enclosure or lying in the soft grass under the sun.

Kevin came to the Moon Bear Rescue Centre, China in 2006, rescued from a farm after many years of bile extraction through a permanent hole in his abdomen. Despite this, Kevin is a friendly, playful bear and well known for his big smiles! He is also missing his left front paw, most likely a result of being snared in the wild.

Many of Kevin's housemates are blind or have visual difficulties, but Kevin treats all bears equally and gently as he goes about having fun in the enclosure. One of his favourite things to do is to host a “tree party” – climbing the trees and throwing leaves down to his bear friends waiting below!

Mausi arrived at our Vietnam sanctuary in June 2007 after being discovered with two other tiny cubs in a secret compartment under a passenger bus. They were headed for a life of torture on a bile farm. Mausi thrived in her new environment and her excitement over anything new was a joy to watch, whether a simple towel, a cardboard box or our boots! Four years later, Mausi has grown into a sweet-natured, playful young bear. She shares her den and outdoor enclosures with a large group of bears, mostly energetic juveniles but with a couple of more mature bears also, and Mausi gets along famously with all of them.