For the tenth year in a row, Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena Bansko's team has visited the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa with the gift of one tonne of fresh fruits for their furry friends.
The hotel plans a trip in October when the bears prepare for winter hibernation and need more food and vitamins. The park's staff hide the fruits in different places, so the bears can search and find them as they would in a natural wild environment.
Now, 19 bears, ranging in age from 6 to 36 years old, live in the park and are sorted by temperament into seven sectors. The bears are fed three times daily and have full medical checkups annually. Every bear has its own personal territory with plenty of space to walk and climb. They live in a natural environment for the brown bear with access to natural water resources and specially-made dens and ponds.
The Bear Sanctuary Belitsa was established in 2000 in partnership with the Four Paws organisation, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and the Municipality of Belitsa. It is nestled in a forest area of 120,000 square metres that lies at an altitude of 1,200 to 1,345 metres.
Bear Sanctuary Belitsa is a sanctuary in Bulgaria that offers a second chance and lifelong care to rescued brown bears. Most of the bears in this sanctuary are former 'dancing bears' from Bulgaria and some from Serbia, Croatia, Albania and North Macedonia. In addition, bears from other forms of poor captivity have also found a lifelong home here. Almost all the bears in the park are digging their own dens and hibernating – something they could not do during their lives in captivity.
"Donating food to the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa has been a substantial activity on our annual social responsibility agenda for ten years now," said General Manager Christian Ruge. "I believe that our initiative 'One Team, one Goal – One Tonne of Food' is a wonderful example of animal welfare, and I hope our honourable cause inspires others to participate in similar animal-care causes."
The park hosts didn't miss the chance to surprise the hotel team and expressed their gratitude with a heartfelt homemade lunch.
