A charismatic and inspirational moon bear who became a symbol of the animal welfare movement in China after surviving 30 years of captivity on a bile farm has died after beating overwhelming odds to live out the final years of his life in freedom. Oliver the bear won a host of celebrity admirers including Born Free star Virginia McKenna and Downton Abbey actress Lesley Nicol after being rescued with a group of other bears from appallingly cramped cages in a bear farm in Shandong. He confounded expectations when he survived emergency roadside surgery during his dramatic rescue in 2010 to live his remaining four years in a bear sanctuary in Chengdu, western China, run by the British charity Animals Asia.
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Oliver survived 30 years in captivity on a bile farm in China and beat the odds to live four more years of freedom after being rescued
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Had to undergo four hours of roadside surgery when rescued in 2010
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Oliver came to epitomise growing animal rights movement in Asia and starred in a film called Cages of Shame
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The frail and elderly Moon Bear was euthanised on Wednesday after his condition worsened
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Cared for by British charity Animals Asia and visited recently by founder Jill Robinson MBE and supporter Downton Abbey actress Lesley Nicol
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More details of Oliver's story and Animals Asia's work to stop the bear bile trade is available at their website. To visit click here
Chengdu
Robinson said: 'Oliver brought so many people together that day – from Shandong to @placeholder and across the country – and he's continued to do so ever since.