Bears Gordo and Florence Arrive in Bulgaria by Plane from South America, Then Driven to Their New Home at Bear Sanctuary 'Belitsa'

The bear sanctuary in Belitsa has welcomed two new residents, as Argentine bears Gordo and Florencia travel to their new home.

For the first time in Bulgaria, wild animals have arrived by air from another continent. The two bears travelled 13,000 kilometres in search of a better life. They were rescued during a large-scale mission by the international team of Four Paws Foundation from a zoo near Buenos Aires, which closed in 2020. The animals had been kept in poor conditions, confined to cramped enclosures. After months of joint efforts, Gordo and Florencia are beginning their lives anew — this time in freedom.

Dr Amir Khalil, who led the rescue mission in Argentina, said: “Gordo was a 350-kg animal living in extremely restricted conditions, with just 12 square metres of space. The same applied to Florencia — conditions that were entirely unacceptable. They lived on concrete. I believe this will be the first time they set foot on grass here in Bulgaria. They will have 3,000 square metres of space. They are coming from a warm climate to a colder one, and we are all curious to see how they adapt.”

Nikola Popkostadinov, head of the Bear Sanctuary in Belitsa, explained: “From here, the next step is their release into the inner enclosures, where we have prepared a special layer of straw and bran to help them adjust more easily. We have also prepared a range of treats, mainly fruit and sweet vegetables. They are particularly fond of grapes and peaches.”

The two bears arrived at the Belitsa Sanctuary in the early afternoon.

Photos and video by Meglena Medarova