From lonely cage to centre stage: Rescued brown bears Benji and Balu crowned ‘Tourism Heroes of the Year’
Two rescued brown bears who once knew nothing but life inside tiny cages have been crowned Isle of Wight tourism royalty, after winning one of the island’s top awards.
Benji and Balu, now adored residents of the Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, were named Tourism Hero of the Year 2025 at the prestigious Red Funnel Isle of Wight Awards, held at Northwood House in Cowes.
The pair’s extraordinary journey, from a sad life of captivity in Azerbaijan to a purpose built enclosure just for them, has captured hearts around the world.
Since their arrival, the gentle giants have drawn over 90,000 visitors to the Sanctuary and clocked up more than 2 million webcam views, turning a small island charity into one of the island’s most popular visitor attractions.
At the awards, which saw 154 businesses enter and a record 52,940 public votes, it was the bears’ story of resilience that stole the show, beating competition from across the tourism sector.
For the Wildheart team, the win is nothing short of historic. The Sanctuary also scooped the Gold Award for Best Large Attraction.
Wildheart's chief executive officer Lawrence Bates said staff were “overwhelmed and incredibly proud,” adding: “Benji and Balu represent everything we stand for, compassion, recovery and giving exploited animals the life they deserve.”
The bears’ high-profile rescue, each transported thousands of miles from barren concrete cages to their custom-built habitat in Sandown, has become a symbol of modern ethical tourism. Visitors now line the walkways daily to watch the duo forage, swim and snooze, often marvelling at how relaxed and joyful the animals appear after years of trauma.
Their success is even turning heads beyond the island. The Sanctuary has now been shortlisted for a Beautiful South Award in the Regeneration category, recognising the huge economic and cultural impact of their transformation into a must-visit wildlife destination.
The Red Funnel Awards, now in their sixth year, celebrate the very best of the Isle of Wight, shining a spotlight on the people, and animals, who help make it one of Britain’s most popular holiday spots.
But this year, it was two former prisoners of cruelty who walked away as champions.
Lawrence added: “Benji and Balu didn’t just win an award. They won their lives back, and they’re giving something magical back to the island too.”
To find out more go to https://wildheartanimalsanctuary.org