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The website for Florida’s Bearadise Ranch describes the facility as home to the “famous Welde family bears.” Established in 1926, the ranch aims to “educate and generate public awareness for habitat preservation and conservation for all bear species,” while also offering its 13 bears for employment on movie and television projects and for traveling fairs and festivals at which they do tricks and shows.
Two of the bears that live on the Myakka City property are Bruno and Bambi, a pair that, according to Bearaside’s Facebook page, were used to inspire the animated characters in Disney’s 2003 Brother Bear. The Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker-directed film follows an Inuit hunter who magically turns into a bear as punishment after killing one.
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Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix, who voiced the lead character of Kenai, is now campaigning to have Bruno and Bambi transferred out of the facility and into “an accredited sanctuary.” Phoenix — a passionate vegan and animal activist who has used his star power to save cows from slaughter and to get Hollywood to move away from meat-filled menus at award shows — has specifically called out the tours and fair conditions.
“These bears deserve better than a life on the road, where they are robbed of everything that’s natural and important to them, and if you put yourself in their place, I’m sure you’d see that, too,” writes Phoenix in the letter, addressed to Bearaside Ranch owner Monica Welde and obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. “You know firsthand that bears are curious, complex animals who love to climb, dig, forage, and play. Their acute sense of smell and plate-sized paws evolved so that they could seek out mates and food across vast distances, but those carefully honed traits are wasted on the county fair circuit, where they’re relegated to transport cages when they’re not pulling hoops over their heads and carrying basketballs around in front of crowds of strangers.”
THR has reached out to Bearadise Ranch for comment on Phoenix’s letter and will update with a response as soon as one becomes available.
According to the ranch’s website, the bears are available for weddings, “bearthday parties” and corporate picnics in addition to work in films, TV shows and commercials. It’s not been free from controversy, however. Earlier this year, Welde was cited by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for “violating state wildlife laws” for allegedly allowing a local TV news crew to feed a bear minus protective barriers.
A full copy of Phoenix’s letter is below.
Dear Monica,
I just learned that two of the bears used in your traveling show, Bambi and Bruno, served as models for Disney’s Brother Bear. I voiced the movie’s main character, Kenai, who, as a lesson in empathy, is magically transformed to be able to see the world through bears’ eyes, and now I’m asking you to see through their eyes, too. These bears deserve better than a life on the road, where they are robbed of everything that’s natural and important to them, and if you put yourself in their place, I’m sure you’d see that, too.
You know firsthand that bears are curious, complex animals who love to climb, dig, forage, and play. Their acute sense of smell and plate-sized paws evolved so that they could seek out mates and food across vast distances, but those carefully honed traits are wasted on the county fair circuit, where they’re relegated to transport cages when they’re not pulling hoops over their heads and carrying basketballs around in front of crowds of strangers.
Bambi and Bruno will never experience life in the wild. They’ll never get to sniff out salmon runs or traverse mountains—but that doesn’t mean their lives can’t improve. Will you please consider putting an end to the tricks and the travel and give all the bears at your facility the chance just to live like bears? If you want to do what’s truly the best thing for them, let me help you make arrangements to get them transferred to an accredited sanctuary.
Sincerely,
Joaquin Phoenix
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