From Chains to Freedom: Rescued Dancing Bears Find Sanctuary in Bulgaria

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For many years, bears in Bulgaria were cruelly trained to “dance” for tourists. Efforts to end this practice began in 1993. Still, due to a lack of facilities and enforcement, Roma families were allowed to keep the bears under license until a sanctuary could be established.

This led to prolonged suffering for the bears. It wasn’t until 1998 that bear dancing was officially outlawed in Bulgaria.

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In partnership with FOUR PAWS and the Fondation Brigitte Bardot, the Bulgarian government created a sanctuary for these mistreated bears. The Bear Sanctuary Belitsa, a haven in the beautiful mountains, opened its doors in 2000.

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The actual end to the cruel tradition of dancing bears in Bulgaria came in 2007 when the last three bears—Svetla, Mima, and Mischo—were rescued from their owners in the eastern village of Getsovo, about 400 km east of Sofia.

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Since then, Bulgarian law has banned all private ownership of bears, ensuring no bear will ever suffer this cruelty again.

Svetla, born in 1990, is a large, beautiful bear with short, shiny fur. After arriving at the sanctuary, she shared an enclosure with Misho and Mima. Today, she lives with other bears, and her best friend is a bear named Stefan.

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On hot, sunny days, Svetla prefers to rest in her favorite hidden spot deep in the forest, away from visitors. Only the most observant guests might glimpse her during guided tours.

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Mima, born in 1997, is active and can be seen throughout the day. Like the other bears at the sanctuary, she enjoys an afternoon nap in the shade during the summer.

Recently, Mima and her companion, Monti, have developed a foraging routine for food together around 4 to 5 pm near the information center. The rest of their time is spent in another part of their enclosure.

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