The traditionally noble mission of Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko took place on 25 October. For an eleventh consecutive year, the hotel donated more than one tonne of fresh fruits to the BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa. The donation of food is planned purposely in October, when bears prepare for hibernation and need more food and vitamins. Each time, the fruits are hidden in different places, so the bears can search and find them themselves, exactly as they normally do in a natural wild environment.
BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa is a unique sanctuary in Bulgaria that provides special care to rescued brown bears. It was founded in 2000 as a cooperation project between the Foundation Brigitte Bardot and FOUR PAWS. Today the sanctuary is a home to 17 bears, ranging in age from 8 to 34 years old. Every bear has its territory with plenty of space to walk and climb. Most of them are former “dancing bears” that have been rescued from their previous owners, who used them to entertain tourists in various resorts in Bulgaria, as well as from the Balkan countries like Serbia, Croatia, Albania and North Macedonia. The others have been rescued from various forms of poor captivity, such as zoos, circuses and hotels. At the sanctuary the bears go through rehabilitation and recover from their former lives in captivity in an environment close to their natural habitat with lots of trees, wading pools and dens, as well as enrichments to keep them curious and active. More information about the BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa can be found at: https://www.bearsanctuary-belitsa.org/.
On the occasion of the visit, General Manager Rene Detzen commented: “I am very proud that the team started “One Team – One Goal – One Tonne of Food” initiative in the past and is supporting it already eleven years in a row. It is really very sad that the bears were subjected to such torture, but fortunately they are now back in the wild and receiving proper care in a safe environment to live in. I would like to express my respect to all people taking care for the well-being of the bears and to assure that Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko will continue to support them in their noble mission.”
