“Is this freedom?” – Abused Bear Steps Outside Its Cage for the First Time in Years After Rescue from a Hellish Armenian Zoo

This is the moment charity workers pulled an emaciated bear out of its cage for the first time in years as it was rescued from a hellish Armenian zoo.

In the clip, filmed by International Animal Rescue, workers can be seen removing the thick iron bars outside a small room in which two brown bears are lying down.

The first bear is then examined inside the room before being dragged outside into the sunlight at the zoo in Echmiadzin, Armenia.

The two brown bears were trapped in a tiny, cramped room with bars on the windows at a zoo in Echmiadzin, Armenia

The two brown bears were trapped in a tiny, cramped room with bars on the windows at a zoo in Echmiadzin, Armenia

After removing the bars the charity workers from the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets are able to pull on of the bears out

After removing the bars the charity workers from the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets are able to pull on of the bears out

The person recording the video initially identified the bear as being between five and six years old.

Rescuers initially believed the bear was around five or six years old due to its small size

Rescuers initially believed the bear was around five or six years old due to its small size

After examining the bears teeth they quickly realised it was far older than first thought and was such a small size because of a poor diet

After examining the bears teeth they quickly realised it was far older than first thought and was such a small size because of a poor diet