Animal welfare Guests sometimes ask for bear show in Arosa Bear Sanctuary
There are always bizarre situations at the rescue center for bears in Arosa: Despite the animal welfare exhibition, a few guests apparently don't understand the mission of bear country and ask for a show with the bears. Rarely do they leave the sanctuary disappointed at the cash desk.
05.08.2024, 09:41
SDA
When you enter Arosa Bear Sanctuary, you first find yourself in a narrow corridor with chains and information boards in various languages. The chains are a reminder of the poor conditions in which the Arosa bears were kept for years before they were rescued.
In a niche, Bear Country tells the story of the now deceased bear Jambolina, who had to perform in a circus. Her performance skirt is hung up in a tiny prison and a movie showing one of her dubious performances is shown on a screen.
What is disconcerting are the guests who watch this film with amusement, film it on their cell phones and ask if the show with the bears is being shown. "We are happy to explain to the very few guests who specifically ask us about the expected show," wrote the Arosa Bear Sanctuary in response to an inquiry from the Keystone-SDA news agency, confirming the scene experienced by a visitor on site.
In the vast majority of cases, these guests would receive the explanations of the animal keepers on site "full of understanding". They are shown that the bears have been freed from poor conditions and are given a life appropriate to their species in Arosa Bear Sanctuary. There is no place for a show put on by humans. According to those responsible, very few guests are so disappointed that they leave Bear Country as soon as they reach the cash desk.
Bears learn intuitive behavior
The vast majority of guests, on the other hand, understand what Bear Country stands for. For example, the bear Meimo, who was rescued from Albania in 2019, was able to learn intuitive behavior in a natural environment in Arosa. He has started to hide his prey and sometimes even sleep on it, just like bears do in the wild.
Only Jamila, the bear rescued from Skopje in 2022, still shows behavioral disorders from captivity in frustrating situations. She walks back and forth monotonously and throws her head back. This occurs in a variety of situations. Even the animal keepers cannot always tell what kind of frustration the bear is experiencing. However, the disturbances are becoming less frequent. With Jamila's brother Sam and the other two bears, Amelia and Meimo, the disturbances have already largely disappeared.
No fifth bear
The fifth place in Arosa Bear Sanctuary remains vacant for the time being. The harmonious coexistence and well-being of the four bears is the top priority for the animal welfare organization Vier Pfoten, which is behind the bear rescues, and the Arosa Bear Foundation. The inclusion of an additional animal would place further social demands on the bears, and negative effects on their social behavior cannot be ruled out, they said on request.
The fifth place was originally claimed by the circus bear Jambolina, who was rescued from Ukraine in 2020. However, she died unexpectedly just one and a half years later from acute cardiovascular failure during anesthesia during dental treatment.
