BROWN BEAR ASKS FOR SNACKS FROM VISITORS AT BEAR PARK IN NOBORIBETSU, HOKKAIDO, 2003-12-26 (photo)

A brown bear asks for snacks from visitors at the Noboribetsu Bear Park in Noboribetsu, a spa resort in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido December 26, 2003. 145 brown bears, mostly born and bred in the park, are on display to educate the public and ensure the preservation of the species, the director of the park said. However, such parks have been slammed by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) and All Life in a Viable Environment (ALIVE), a Japanese animal welfare group, for its money-making purposes, overcrowded conditions and the bears' exploitation for entertainment. Photo taken December 26, 2003. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao YN/FA