For 34 years, Stana lived in captivity, but last week, thanks to Harmony Fund, this beautiful elderly bear finally got to experience something she had been denied for almost her entire life. Her freedom to be a bear. Stana's story began in the forests of Serbia, where she and her sister Mara lived with their mother as cubs. Their mom was teaching them how to be a bear. How to fish, where to find berries and where to shelter from the rain. Then a hunter killed their mother and had her taxidermied as a trophy. And in a heartbreaking twist, Stana and Mara ended up spending their lives dependent upon the same man who had killed their mother. Four years ago, authorities finally found the sisters, removed them from the property, and took them to Palic Zoo, but sadly, Mara passed away last year and Stana had now lost both her mom and her sister. But her story wasn't over yet. Last week, Harmony Fund helped move Stana to ARKA Sanctuary in Banostor, where at long last she could experience a different kind of life. A life of being a bear. Her first day was spent exploring, eating fresh fruits and vegetables and discovering her new pool. And she apparently decided clean water was highly overrated because within a couple of hours she had climbed in and out so many times that she'd turned it muddy. Fun! 😂 But what she did that evening absolutely got my heart. As the day came to an end, Stana began digging into the earth. She made a little depression just big enough for her body. Then she gathered dry grass and arranged everything the way she wanted it to make herself a natural bed. Stana hadn't lived in the forest since she was a cub, but after 34 years she remembered how her mama taught her to be a bear. It was the first time in all those years she got to sleep outside under the stars and be a beary happy bear again. We can't give Stana those lost years back. She cannot be released into the wild, both because it isn't permitted by law and because after so many years in captivity she lacks the survival skills she would need. But she can now have grass beneath her paws, fresh food, and a pool to make as muddy as her heart pleases.

I'm so glad you're here! Empowering Animals is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit community for people who love animals and want to make a difference. This community was created to connect animal lovers with trusted organizations, resources, stories, education, and opportunities to help animals around the world. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝: 🐾 Rescue and nonprofit spotlights 🌿 Wildlife and companion animal education ❤️ Inspiring stories and conversations 🤝 Simple and meaningful ways to help 🐘 Opportunities to support organizations doing wonderful work for animals 𝐖𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐀𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 🐾 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 Your membership helps support animal organizations every month. 🐾 𝐂𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 & 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐨𝐬 Wear your compassion! A portion of every sale helps support animal-related causes. 🐾 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧'𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐤 Inspired by a rescued skunk named Tami Tango, all proceeds from this children's book go to All Things Wild for the care and protection of skunks. 🐾 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 Shop through our affiliate links and a portion of your purchase helps support animal organizations. 🐾 𝐏𝐚𝐰𝐬 & 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 A free resource to help connect people with wildlife rehabilitators, rescues, shelters, lost pet resources, and other animal assistance when it's needed most. All of these resources can be found in our Classroom. ❤️ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 One of my favorite parts of Empowering Animals is that we decide together where our donations go. Each month, our community votes for an animal organization, rescue, sanctuary, or wildlife group to receive our monthly donation. No one can help every animal. But together, we can help far more than any of us could alone. ❤️ 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐞'𝐝 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮! Introduce yourself in the comments and tell us a little about what brings you to Empowering Animals. If you'd like, share where you're joining from and your favorite animal.

Say cheeese, critter! That's exactly what is happening in Indonesian Borneo, and I love this approach to wildlife conservation! A program called KehatiKu, operated by Borneo Futures in West Kalimantan, is helping turn animal hunters into animal protectors by giving local communities a way to earn money photographing wildlife instead of removing them from their natural habitats. Using a dedicated mobile app, villagers photograph or record wildlife, submit their observations for verification, and receive payment based on the species. 📸 A common bird can earn approximately $0.30. 📸 An endangered orangutan can earn approximately $7.50. The beauty of this approach is that the same animal can be photographed over and over again, providing an ongoing opportunity to earn income while allowing the animal to remain wild and free. And look what this program has accomplished so far! 🐾 More than 800 local wildlife observers are participating. 🐾 Nine villages are involved, with two more expected to join in October 2026. 🐾 There are 73 species eligible for payments. 🐾 Two participating villages have voluntarily introduced hunting bans! The program is also helping researchers gather valuable information about wildlife populations and where different species are living. But there's another beautiful side to this story. One participant, a 50-year-old farmer named Octavius, shared that his earnings are helping pay for his children's college education. Another participant, 72-year-old Imelda, described how animals once viewed as pests, including deer and wild boar, are now animals people want to protect. This program currently has funding secured through 2028, although finding a way to sustain it financially over the long term remains an important goal and I will be keeping an on this one. 😊 What I especially love about this approach is that communities aren't being asked to choose between providing for their families and protecting the animals who share their world. They're being given an opportunity to do both and this is when the magic happens!

I saw this video again yesterday and wanted to share it again. If you're watching on your phone, it may not be translated, but our hearts speak in all languages. This is such a beautiful example of how coming together can have such a profound impact on the heart, animals, and communities around the world. The video says it all. Grab a tissue because this still makes me weepy. It's so beautiful to watch these people come together. And then, years later, a monument was erected that allows others to become part of the human chain. Wow. ❤️ The possibilities are endless. Let's become a link for the animals. 🐾

This number is very special to my heart, and I just had to share this little moment. We now have 77 beautiful souls in our community. I know the animals are celebrating right along with us! Thank you for being here and loving the animals with me! ❤️ 🐾🦋