Feed rescued bears who are facing starvation due to COVID-19
Five bears rescued from a life of cruelty, are counting on you to feed them during COVID-19
Born in a zoo in 2004, Hansel and Gretel spent the first two years of their life locked up in tiny cages, so small they couldn’t rollover much less behave naturally. They spent most of their long days cooped up in a dark, filthy room – far away from nature.
Thanks to our local partner Asociatia Milioane de Prieteni (AMP) and animal lovers like you, they were brought to the same sanctuary in August 2006 that their late father spent his remaining days in. Hansel and Gretel arrived at the sanctuary in poor condition. They were underfed, extremely weak and they both had to be constantly supervised by the staff, until they put on weight. Eventually in March 2007, they were released into the main forest enclosure.
Today, they can be seen sitting back to back in the sunshine, rolling in the grass and playing with their new friends like Myra. Sadly, Myra’s story is like so many other bears at the sanctuary. Myra was forced to beg for food from tourists, along with her two 5-month old cubs, Arden and Enoch. Spotted in the Saint Ana Lake area, they were viewed as a nuisance and potentially dangerous, so the cubs were destined to be shot and the mother relocated to another part of the country.
Luckily, AMP stepped in and saved the family. In July 2019, they were transported to their new home at the sanctuary and settled in straight away. They love the bread and honey treats the sanctuary staff left out for them and often go to cool down in the pool. It took no time for the cubs to be spotted climbing trees and having long naps in the shade, while Myra gets along famously with a more matured Hansel and Gretel.
Life at the sanctuary
For all these bears, getting used to the spacious sanctuary takes time. Many of them had never experienced nature before and didn’t know what grass or trees were until they were released into their enclosure. At first, all the new sights and smells were unsettling for them, but soon they were splashing in the pool and rolling around in the mud. “It was such a special and emotional moment when they met” Paula Ciotlos, AMP’s Vice President said. “They cuddled and jumped on each other straight away!”.
As these newly rescued bears get acquainted with each other and adjust to their new home, feeding them during a pandemic is a top priority for their overall physical and mental health. At the Libearty Sanctuary, bears receive expert care and are fed a mixed diet of fresh fruit, vegetables, breads and other special treats like frozen blocks made with honey and sweet pastries. Bears do love their food and need approximately 15 kgs of nourishing food a day! As you can imagine, it costs a lot to feed one bear (about $2,392 per year) to ensure they stay healthy, strong and happy. However, with COVID-19 affecting tourism, the sanctuary is experiencing a financial short fall and won’t have enough to feed these bears.
Donate to help rescued bears who have already suffered so much
Since 2005, World Animal Protection has supported Asociatia Milioane de Prieteni (AMP) in creating the Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Romania, the world’s largest brown bear sanctuary in Europe. Bears are often stolen from the wild only to suffer tremendously in cruel, captive conditions like Hansel and Gretel did. After being abused and exploited in zoos, circuses or tourist attractions, many rescued bears arrive at Libearty Sanctuary in poor health, stressed and psychologically fragile. By supporting our local partner, AMP, over 100 bears have been rescued and now live free from suffering in a lush oak woodland. The sanctuary is a haven for bears where they are free to climb trees, swim in the pools and play in the lush forest. With your help, World Animal Protection can provide five rescued bears with essential nourishment for one year.
Please make a gift to help feed five bears today. Once the goal is reached, you’ll receive a special bear certificate.
