Teddy bear parachuting

Teddy bear parachuting, also called parafauna, is a game and charity activity in which teddy bears fitted with small parachutes are dropped from height, with participants sometimes competing on descent times. Parachutes are typically improvised from lightweight materials such as umbrella canopies or ripstop nylon, and bears are often kitted out with helmets and goggles. Bears are released from tall structures such as church towers and castles, dropped from light aircraft by groups such as the Ted Devils, or lifted and released using kites such as parafoils or deltas, a method valued for being cheap and portable. Beyond recreation and fundraising, the activity has carried political messages, as when several hundred protest-slogan bears were dropped over Minsk, Belarus, in 2012.