Syrian brown bear

The most famous Syrian bear was Wojtek the bear, adopted by Polish soldiers during World War II.

An excerpt from the article 11 facts about Syrian brown bear

Wojtek took part in the Battle of Monte Cassino. He was the mascot of soldiers, whom he bravely helped by carrying artillery loads. Initially, he received the rank of private, but later he was promoted to corporal. He went through the entire battle route with the soldiers, received pay, and even had to report. After the war, he was sent to the Edinburgh Zoo, where he died in 1963.