Animal Welfare Romania Project #64508

Romanian Bear Sanctuary

by World Animal Protection Netherlands

Project Report | Sep 21, 2026
A summer of freedom for Bolik, Grisha and Jean

By Rosa Wortelboer | Fundraising officer

Bolik playing in the pool

As summer comes to an end at Libearty Bear Sanctuary, it is the perfect moment to look back on the warm months that bears Bolik, Grisha, and Jean have enjoyed together with all the other bears in the parc. With long sunny days, refreshing ponds, and plenty of space to explore, the sanctuary offered everything they needed to make the most of the season.

For Bolik, summer was all about the water. During the hottest days, he spent hours swimming, splashing, and cooling off in the ponds. He has always been fond of the water and often preferred to enjoy it all by himself. This summer, however, he was also regularly seen sharing his favourite swimming spot with his companion Ciere, enjoying peaceful moments together before finding a shady place to rest.

Grisha approached the season in his own way. While many bears slowed down during the heat of the day, his appetite remained as strong as ever. He spent much of the summer searching for tasty snacks and exploring his surroundings. During the cooler mornings and evenings, his playful character was impossible to miss. Together with his sister Masha, he enjoyed many energetic play sessions, wrestling and tumbling through the grass just as bears should.

Jean preferred a quieter summer. When the temperatures rose, he often sought refuge beneath the trees, where he could rest comfortably in the shade. After the difficult years he spent in captivity, it is wonderful to see him living at his own pace. Whether relaxing during the warmest hours or taking a leisurely stroll through his enclosure later in the day, Jean spent the summer exactly as he chose.

Looking back, it has been a season filled with simple but precious moments: swimming in cool water, enjoying favourite treats, playing with companions, and resting peacefully in the shade. Moments like these may seem ordinary, but for rescued bears they represent something extraordinary: the freedom to simply be a bear.

More than 100 bears at Libearty Bear Sanctuary depend on us every day. Food, enrichment, medical care, and a safe natural environment are essential to giving them the life they deserve after years of hardship. Your support makes this possible.

Thank you for making a difference.

Sleepy Jean

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Jun 1, 2026
Spring awakens the bears at Libearty

By Rosa Wortelboer | Fundraising officer

Grisha

Spring has arrived at Libearty Bear Sanctuary, bringing warmer days, melting snow, and a fresh start for all the bears in the park.
After the quiet of winter, their world is coming alive again—soft earth under their paws, pools free of ice, and new smells waiting to be explored. Also for the bears Bolik, Grisha, and Jean.

Bolik has emerged from hibernation and is doing well. Like many bears waking up, he is still taking things slowly, but his appetite is returning—something he clearly enjoys. From splashing in the water to relaxing in the sunshine, Bolik is rediscovering all his favourite spots while building his strength day by day.

Grisha has also been in hibernation longer this year but is now fully awake again and enjoying the arrival of spring in his own way. He has been spotted engaging in friendly wrestling with Masha—a wonderful sign of his energy returning and his playful nature coming through once more. It’s a joy to see him active, social, and back to exploring his surroundings.

Jean, who does not hibernate due to his past in captivity, has stayed active throughout the winter. He spent the colder months resting and creating small shelters, and now that spring has arrived, he is back to his favourite routine—walking, digging, sniffing, and carefully investigating every inch of his enclosure.

As the days grow warmer, the bears become more active and playful. Fresh grass, soft mud, sunshine on their fur and plenty of space to roam — spring brings them exactly what bears love best. And for us, it is a joy to watch: all the bears, fully awake, fully curious, and fully ready for a new season of adventures.

Over 100 bears at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary depend on us every day. They require more than two tons of food daily and ongoing medical care to recover from their traumatic past. Your donation can help prevent malnutrition and serious health issues.

Thank you for making a difference!

Bolik eating

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Feb 11, 2026
Winter season in Libearty: Update bear Grisha (and Bolik / Jean)

By Rosa Wortelboer | Fundraising officer

Bear Grisha eating

While Bolik is still auditioning for the role of “Sleeping Beauty', Grisha and Jean are fully booked with their daily activities — Jean is -guess what- inspecting the fence, taking a quick rest now and then in the weak winter sun. And Grisha is, as always, the undisputed foodie.

Grisha’s past wasn’t an easy one. In his previous life behind bars, food wasn’t something you enjoyed — it was something you survived. And because of that, he’s developed a special (and rather hilarious) relationship with meals. Dinner time, for Grisha, is not a calm event. It’s a serious matter.

The moment food appears, he grabs it like a tiny furry mastermind, sneaks off, and digs a secret stash in the ground — carefully hiding his treasure like a woodland pirate. One bite for now… one bite for the emergency apocalypse later.

When Grisha first arrived, he was heartbreakingly thin — only about 25% of the weight he is now.
That’s why his food quirks make so much sense. After what he’s been through, his brain still occasionally goes: “Quick! Hide the lunch! Winter is here!"

But besides this odd behavior now and then Grisha is healthy and happy. Grisha didn’t just gain weight — he gained safety, routine, trust, and a future. And apparently also the confidence to celebrate lunch with Olympic-level spinning: on days like today, the joy is simply too big to contain. The second his lunch arrived, Grisha started spinning in circles like he’d just won the lottery — equal parts “This is the best day of my life!” and “I can’t believe this keeps happening!”

From survival to spinning: Grisha is learning, day by day, that food is safe, life is good, and lunch is worth celebrating with maximum drama. Meanwhile Jean stays close by, keeping things steady — and Bolik… remains committed to his long-term research project on the science of naps.

Over 100 bears at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary depend on us every day. They require more than two tons of food daily and ongoing medical care to recover from their traumatic past. Your donation can help prevent malnutrition and serious health issues.
Thank you for making a difference!

Grisha before rescue - Credit: Roger Allen

Bolik taking a nap

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