Couple live with adopted bear for 23 years

A Russian couple has been living happily with a full-grown brown bear since they adopted him 23 years ago, local media reported on Thursday.
According to the report, Svetlana and Yuriy Panteleenko do almost everything together with Stepan, a 136-kg brown bear, right from playing in the backyard to cuddling and watching TV in sofa.
It said the couple adopted Stepan when he was just three months old.
The report said the bear was found by hunters after reportedly losing its mother and was in very bad shape.
According to the Panteleenkos, who are both animal trainers, Stepan has developed the gentlest temperament as he has been domesticated from a very young age.
Svetlana said: “He absolutely loves people and is a really sociable bear, in spite of what people might think, he is not aggressive at all.
“We have never been bitten by Stepan.
“Stepan has a big appetite as he can eat about 25 kg of fish a day, as well as lots of eggs and vegetables, but his favorite treat is a can of condensed milk.”
However, Svetlana said they had never fed Stepan with fresh meat to avoid activating his predatory instincts.
The report said the “incredibly smart, kind and wonderful” bear that has become the star of a number of photo shoots by professional photographers, has also featured in several Russian films.
Xinhua/NAN.