Russian couple live with adopted bear for 23 years

A Russian couple have been living happily with a full-grown brown bear since they adopted him 23 years ago, local media reported.

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.

The couple adopted Stepan when he was just three months old. The bear had been found by hunters after reportedly losing his mother and was in very bad shape.

Stepan has developed the gentlest temperament as he has been domesticated from a very young age, according to the Panteleenkos, who are both animal trainers.

"He absolutely loves people and is a really sociable bear -- despite what people might think, he is not aggressive at all. We have never been bitten by Stepan," Svetlana said.

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.

Svetlana said they have never fed Stepan with fresh meat to avoid activating his predatory instincts.

The "incredibly smart, kind and wonderful" bear, who has become the star of a number of photo shoots by professional photographers, was also featured in several Russian films. Endi