First Resident of Bear Sanctuary Arosa Comes from Serbia

It will likely be a blessing for the animal: Serbia's last circus bear will be living at the Bear Sanctuary in Arosa from August. In his home country, the animal had to endure great suffering.

The first resident of the Bear Sanctuary in Arosa has been confirmed: it is Serbia's last circus bear. Until his rescue in autumn 2016, the animal lived in a tiny, rusty, and rubbish-strewn metal cage with no protection from rain or sun.

After years of suffering, the as yet unnamed bear is expected to move into the «Bear Sanctuary Arosa» in July, which opens in August. This was announced on Sunday by Arosa Tourism and the animal welfare organisation Four Paws.

Bear Could Barely Leave His Cage

The 11-year-old bear is a cross between a European brown bear and a polar bear and weighs around 350 kilograms. In his cage at the now-closed Serbian circus Corona in the town of Srbobran, the large animal could not even stand upright, according to the press release — and this was likely the case for many years. Serbia has had a ban on wild animals in circuses since 2009. It can therefore be assumed that the bear had not performed for years and had barely been able to leave his cage, the statement said.

In November 2016, Serbian authorities confiscated the bear with the assistance of Four Paws. The rescue team also found two other brown bears at the time, who now live at the Müritz Bear Forest in northeastern Germany.

Dental Treatment Urgently Needed

The bear is currently living temporarily at Palic Zoo in northern Serbia. There he has shown himself to be very active and sociable, including towards fellow bears in neighbouring enclosures. As he is now able to move around more, he has gained significantly in muscle mass since his confiscation.

However, he urgently needed dental treatment, as part of his jaw appeared to be severely damaged. Years of malnutrition had taken a serious toll on his teeth.

Three hectares of new home

The Bärenland in Arosa offers the bear and other members of his species an enclosure of around three hectares with numerous activities, as the press release further states.

Construction work is currently on hold due to the winter season in Arosa. As soon as weather conditions permit, work on the bear sanctuary will continue. The opening of the Arosa Bärenland is planned for August 2018. The first resident will arrive at his new home shortly beforehand, where he will also receive his official name. More on animal rights and wildlife.