Bear Sanctuary Belitsa Reopens to Visitors from April 1

On World Bear Day, the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa—jointly managed by the international animal welfare organisation “Four Paws” and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation—announced the date on which it will once again welcome visitors. The protected bear sanctuary will reopen its doors on 1 April. Visitors can look forward to meeting new bear residents from abroad, as well as exploring a newly developed information and exhibition area featuring a first-of-its-kind VR experience titled “Home”, the sanctuary said on March 23.

During the spring season, from April to June, the park will be open from 12:00 to 18:00. In the summer months, opening hours will extend from 10:00 to 18:00. The final guided tour of the day begins at 17:00.

After months of winter dormancy in their dens, the sanctuary’s inhabitants have begun to emerge and forage for food. Their diet primarily consists of fruit—such as apples, tomatoes, pears, plums, grapes, watermelons and melons—alongside seasonal produce, vegetables including cucumbers, lettuce and carrots, as well as fish and honey.

Between October and December, brown bears enter a state of a "winter nap". During this period, they retreat to their dens after building up fat reserves throughout the warmer months. Each bear has individual needs—some dig their own dens, while others use those specially prepared by their caretakers. At times, bears may briefly leave their dens during milder weather to seek food, consuming only small quantities—typically no more than around three kilogrammes—before returning to sleep. In some cases, not all of the sanctuary’s residents are able to hibernate fully, due to the poor conditions in which they were kept prior to their rescue.

Among the first to wake up this year are Riku, Teddy, Seida, Vesko, and Iva. Bears Yeta, Mima, Marinka, and Suzana are still not fully out of hibernation and will remain undisturbed until their winter sleep officially ends.

With temperatures rising, this is expected to happen soon, ahead of the park’s reopening. Last year, Mima was the longest sleeper, having slept for a total of 165 days, the sanctuary noted.