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Stepan the bear and his unusual life in a Russian family. Big, plush, yours: the story of Stepan the bear, who lives in a Russian family Stepan the bear lives in a family

Photos from open sources

The Russian couple Panteleenko, living with an adult brown bear, has become a real Internet sensation. The unusual pet of Yuri and Svetlana amazed the users of the World Wide Web from all over the planet. Thus, foreigners have found yet another confirmation of the widespread stereotype that we adore bears, and the bears, in turn, are very fond of a Russian person who is dear to them in spirit. (website)

The animal was only three months old when he found himself in the house of the Panteleenko family. The weakened cub was found in the forest by hunters, who believed that the mother of the bear cub had died. Yuri and Svetlana took the bear to their place and left it, calling it Styopa. It happened back in 1993, now Styopa, as it is easy to calculate, is already twenty-three years old. He still lives with the people who saved him, not intending to go free.

For one meal, a huge bear eats up to twenty-five kilograms of vegetables, eggs and fish. But his favorite delicacy is condensed milk. Styopa loves to sit on the sofa, watch TV, play with Yuri and Svetlana, walk in the garden. Panteleenko consider the bear a full-fledged member of their family, and the bear treats them as parents. Styopa knows how and loves to help people - for example, he gladly digs and waters the garden.

The bear became a member of the family

Panteleenko are professional trainers, so they have almost no problems with such an unusual roommate. Yuri and Svetlana managed to raise an animal completely devoid of any aggressiveness. In all his life, Styopa has never bitten anyone, even lightly. According to trainers, the secret of such education lies in a respectful and trusting attitude towards the animal, as well as in the constant encouragement of its merits.

Photos from open sources

In captivity, as a rule, they live for about half a century, or even more, so Stepa, figuratively speaking, still has her whole life ahead of her. The two-meter bear is very playful and cheerful. He knows how to catch the ball, likes to wrestle with Yuri as a joke, and loves being combed out. The tamed clubfoot prefers to dine right at the table with its owners. Fortunately, there are no children in the house.

On the well-known YouTube video hosting, videos with Stepan collect millions of views. “Nothing surprising, an ordinary Russian family,” writes one of the English-speaking commentators. “I wonder who makes furniture for them?” - interested in the other. However, many foreigners seriously expressed concern about the safety of the Russian family. “This is still a wild animal, and keeping it like this in an ordinary house is clearly dangerous,” says a user. The Panteleenko couple only chuckles at such comments, they say, we are Russians, what will the bear do to us? ..

Steam side Svetlana and Yuri Panteleenko look like an ordinary Russian family, except for one fact - a huge bear weighing more than 300 kg lives with them. The couple adopted Styopa the bear when he was only 3 months old, and since then he lives with them and even sometimes helps with the housework.

It is hard to find a more stereotypical Russian family in Russia than Svetlana and Yuri Panteleenko, because they live in a wooden log house surrounded by birches and drink tea with a real bear.

Now Styopa is already 20 years old, he weighs over 300 kg ( according to information from the personal site. At the same time, many media indicate a different weight and height.), and when it stands on its hind legs, its height is 220 cm. The bear is so domesticated that in the evenings it clings to them while sitting on the couch while watching TV. The family claims that Styopa helps them with the housework, well, at least he knows how to water the beds in the summer.

But a big bear is also a big responsibility... in the sense of hunger. Every day Styopa eats 25 kg of fish, eggs and vegetables. And of course, nothing without dessert, Styopa loves to eat condensed milk in jars.

You can even play ball with it if you want. It doesn’t cost anything to Yuri to knock Styopa to the ground and, scratching his belly, start fighting him, while not being afraid that the animal will bite off his head. A true friend who will protect the house better than any security system.

The main thing is that the robbers take the inscription "Caution, angry bear" seriously, otherwise their stupid smile will be wiped off their faces in the blink of an eye if they still decide to get into the house.

Stepan the bear has his own website. It says "Becoming his second parents, Yura and Sveta, raised Stepushka, making him a real circus performer and movie star. Stepa is an exception to the rule. There are no such bears in nature. He is smart, kind and fabulously beautiful. come up and not only stroke, but also sit on his massive back, hold his powerful paw."

Mishka Stepan is also known for film roles: he starred in the films "Tsar", "The Edge", "Voronins" and many others. There are about a dozen works in his biography. In addition, the bear has regularly taken part in Christmas trees for almost two decades. At the moment, Styopa's bear has finished filming in the TV movie "Yolki - 4", playing a cameo role there.

Last year, a photo session with the bear Stepan, mother and little daughter caused a real shock on foreign sites. Photographer Olga Barantseva captured the thrilling moments. Mom and daughter on a picnic: here they are hugging the beast, as if it were an ordinary pet.

The girl is sitting on a bear. The predator gets treats, and, apparently, he is pleased. But many foreign readers were outraged, they say, how could the life of a child be risked by allowing him to be next to such a huge beast?

Olga Barantseva did not expect her work to become famous all over the world. He says that "there are many such shootings with animals." Moreover, Stepan repeatedly posed for other photographers.

“Styopa is a great actor, indeed, he is tame. How can you be afraid of him if he is so cute, ”the models who participated in Olga’s photo projects admit.

Based on media materials

It is unlikely that anyone will find the idea of sitting at a table with a brown bear weighing 136 kg appetizing. But there is a family in Russia that does this every day, and the bear has become part of their daily routine. At first glance, Svetlana and Yuri Panteleenko look like an ordinary family - except for one detail: their 23-year-old bear, Stepan.

The forest animal, over two meters tall, is so tame that the family often sits down to watch TV in the evenings with it.

Stepan even helps around the house, or at least in the garden: he knows how to water the plants.

Bear Stepan eats a lot, but most of all he likes to eat a jar of condensed milk. He also eats 25 kg of fish, vegetables and eggs, so it cannot be said that cooking dinner for the Panteleenko family is easier than steamed turnips.

Luckily for Stepan, he loves to play ball, so he stays in shape despite his heavy diet.

Svetlana and Yuri took Stepan to their place when he was only three months old. According to the couple, because they spent so much time with the bear, he has a very gentle disposition and even fawns over them, jumping on the sofa.

Svetlana says: “Stepan loves most of all to cuddle on the sofa in the evenings while we watch TV.”

“When we got him, he was only three months old. He was found by hunters in the forest where he lost his mother. He was in a very bad state. He adores people and loves to socialize, and despite what people might think, he is not at all aggressive. Stepan never bit us.”

Someone keeps dogs at home, some cats and rodents, someone likes silent fish or hissing cockroaches, but all this is difficult to compare with the pet of Yuri and Svetlana Panteleenko. They have a real brown bear weighing more than 300 kg at home. Twenty-year-old bear Stepan is only formidable in appearance, but in fact he is the kindest creature who has never offended anyone.

Little Stepan got to his new "parents" when he was still a very tiny three-month-old bear cub. It was sold in the market by hunters who claimed that the youngster simply fell behind his mother and got lost. The Panteleenko family recalls that Stepan was then simply in a terrible state, all wounded and frightened.

Yuri and Svetlana are not just passers-by who take pity on a bear cub, they both work as trainers, and therefore they know how to treat animals. Only thanks to the long and patient care of the baby, it was possible to melt his heart, help Stepushka, as he is now sometimes called, to recover and learn many circus tricks.

The fact that Stepan is not aggressive (in his entire life he has never bitten or attacked anyone), but on the contrary - friendly and very careful in dealing with people - this is an exception to the rule. It is very difficult to tame a bear, and most often these animals are simply not able to get along with people, at least not as a pet. That is why Stepan is now in great demand both for photo shoots and for various filming of films, programs and TV shows. Moreover, Stepan is regularly present at Christmas trees - of course, children can be scared to see such a huge beast next to them (the bear is 2 meters 20 cm tall), but Stepan manages to charm the kids.

Incredible Facts

Trainers Svetlana and Yuri Panteleenko seem like an ordinary family until they introduce their 23-year-old adopted son - brown bear Stepan.

They are used to doing everything together, from playing in the yard to watching TV on the couch.

Stepan was only 3 months old when the Panteleenko family took him into their family. The bear was found in a terrible state by hunters after he lost his mother.

Since then, the clubfoot and the Panteleenko family have been living together for 23 years.

Russian bear Stepan

Since Stepan was domesticated from a young age, he has a very mild temperament. At any opportunity he likes to hug his parents, and in the evenings likes to snuggle up to them on the couch.

"He loves people very much and is very sociable. Despite what people might think, he is not aggressive at all. Stepan never bit us," Svetlana said.

The only thing Svetlana and Yuri can complain about is Stepan's good appetite. Stepan's height is 2.20 meters, and his weight is 136 kg..

He eats 25 kg of fish per day, plus plenty of eggs and vegetables, but his favorite treat is a can of condensed milk. Stepan was never given raw meat, perhaps so as not to awaken his predatory instinct.

Bear Stepan and his family

Yuri and Svetlana taught Stepan a number of tricks, and they have already performed in various performances, mainly for children. The bear also participated in several professional photo shoots with girls, models and children, and they all noted his good nature.