The photo was taken by photographer Peter Yuen in January 2013. Moon bear Shamrock had just arrived with five other bears from a farm in Sichuan Province, China.

Shamrock arrived in a transport cage frightened and aggressive, her face dirty and scarred from years of bar rubbing. Her paws were hopelessly cracked and dry, having never stepped on grass.

Having suffered years of bile extraction, Shamrock's gall bladder was removed. The Cholecystectomy took over three hours with vets describing Shamrock's gall bladder as "enlarged, red and angry". Inside were polyps and cysts which would have caused Shamrock considerable pain.

Shamrock then underwent major dental surgery on her damaged teeth, eventually having all four canines removed.

When eventually Shamrock was able to take a step outside, the pictures of her staring at the sky were as thought provoking as her caged picture. While bars had become familiar to her – space was something entirely new.

Shamrock's rehabilitation would be helped by the tight bond she formed with Peter. Both were ravenous when they arrived and remained food obsessed for many months after.

It wasn't exactly love at first sight for Peter and Shamrock – but shared experiences and the persistence of Peter bear soon saw these two racing round their enclosure enjoying being first friends.

The real breakthrough in Shamrock's integration was when she and Peter were integrated with a larger group.

Staff handled their integration delicately, mitigating Shamrock's food obsession by delaying the meeting until after both autumn, when hunger drives increase, and the winter dormancy period.

At first Shamrock and Peter were suspicious and endured a stand-off with their new mates, but distrust soon gave way to friendship.

Earlier this year, Peter Yuen chose Shamrock's portrait as one of his most important shots, saying:

"Shamrock was the first bear we saw during the 2013 New Year Rescue, and this photo really helped to portray the suffering she had been through. It's hard to understand how these bears must feel, especially if you haven't met them in person, so I hope that this can help people realise how important Animals Asia's work is."

Jill Robinson, Animals Asia founder, added:

"Today Shamrock is a different bear. Her bond with Peter bear has continued and her rehabilitation is complete. This iconic shot was joined by more – particularly as she stepped outside for the first time. The way she looked up at the sky told you all you need to know about the cruelty of bear bile farming. Clearly Shamrock had never seen the sky before. To see her gaze in wonder was an incredible sight for us all."

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