It was a great honour for us to be entrusted with the task of taxidermising the famous bear Dadon. Our taxidermists have years of experience in taxidermy, working with animals of all sizes, and understand how important it is to do justice to both the animal and its story.
Dadon was not just any bear. He spent the last twenty years of his life in the Bear Forest at Ouwehands Zoo, where he finally found peace. There he lived a relatively relaxed life, just as a bear should. But his early years were anything but carefree.
In his younger years, Dadon was used as a circus bear in a theatre in Moscow. He was forced to perform tricks that are completely unnatural for a bear, such as cycling in circles and performing in front of an audience. This caused irreversible damage to the bear’s wellbeing.
Through the organisation Bears in Mind, Dadon eventually ended up in the Netherlands, where he received the care and peace he deserved. In the Berenbos, he grew into an animal recognised and appreciated by visitors. His story made an impression and raised awareness of how animals are used for entertainment and the consequences of this.
In 2025, we were given the special commission to mount Dadon. We believe it is important that his story is not lost. Mounting an animal is often done with this in mind: to remember and honour. To pass on his story to new generations of visitors.
View this video on our process of mounting Dadon:
Read the latest news
