Drowsy Bear Starting Her Day Becomes A Mascot Of The Sluggish And Sleepy
"This is me starting the work week.”
Say hello to this sweet bear named Chada.
(On second thought, she might need a minute — Chada’s clearly not a morning bear.)
Chada is a 24-year-old rescue bear at the White Rock Bear Shelter, a sanctuary in Ukraine, where she’s lived for the past four years. Prior to that, sadly, she was exploited by people who used her as a prop in circuses and traveling shows — confined to cramped cages without much in the way of creature comforts.
Nowadays, thanks to her caretakers at the sanctuary, Chada is a happy bear who’s allowed to live in peace and at her own pace.
When it comes to rising to face the day, however, that pace can be quite slow.
This week, millions of people around the world were introduced to Chada in an amusing video of her starting her day — a clip that quickly went viral.
In fact, Chada's expression as she emerges from her den has gone on to make her a mascot of sorts for the sluggish and sleepy.
“This is me starting the work week,” White Rock Bear Shelter wrote. “We’re all like Chada on Monday.”
While Chada may seem a bit drowsy in the morning, she doesn't stay that way for long.
Once the sleepiness wears off, Chada loves to have fun:
“Chada had a difficult life but remained a fighter. And she became the star of our bear family because of her character and zest for life,” the sanctuary wrote.
Here’s more footage of Chada in action:
Chada is getting up there in years, but, fortunately, she is still in good health. Due to Chada’s familiarity with people, however, she’ll never be able to live the life that nature intended, free in the wild.
Her caretakers, nevertheless, continue to provide for her a life of peace, fun and — yes — sleep. After all she's been through, Chada deserves nothing less.
"We can’t undo what other people did to her," the sanctuary told The Dodo. "But we try to provide appropriate conditions and the opportunity for her to be a bear."
