Big, plush, yours: the story of Stepan the bear, who lives in a Russian family

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

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

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

Stepan the bear 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 a steamed turnip.

Fortunately for Stepan, he likes to play ball, so he stays in shape, despite a saturated diet.

Svetlana and Yuri took Stepan in when he was only three months old. According to the couple, due to the fact that they spent so much time with the bear, he has a very gentle disposition and he even caresses them by jumping on the sofa.

Svetlana says: "Stepan likes to cuddle on the couch most of all in the evenings while we watch TV."

"When we took him in, 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 condition. He adores people and likes to socialize, and despite what people might think, he is not aggressive at all. Stepan has never bitten us."