CNN
—
After over twenty years in captivity, Mark, the final of Albania’s “restaurant bears,” has safely arrived at his new dwelling, an animal sanctuary in Austria, in line with the animal rescue group 4 Paws Worldwide.
So-called “restaurant bears” have traditionally been saved in tiny cages close to eating places or resorts, the place they served as an attraction for vacationers, in line with 4 Paws. In 2016, the nonprofit launched the “Saddest Bears” marketing campaign in an effort to relocate the greater than 30 bears getting used as leisure within the nation.
Mark, a 24-year previous brown bear, is the final recognized “restaurant bear” in Albania, in line with a information launch from 4 Paws, though there are different bears in captivity in poor circumstances within the nation. He was rescued on December 7 and arrived at his new dwelling, “BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach” in Austria on Friday.
When 4 Paws first encountered Mark, the animal was affected by extreme well being issues. He was chubby, had damaged enamel and displayed “irregular” behaviors like pacing because of the lack of stimulation in his cramped cage, 4 Paws mentioned in a earlier information launch.
The bear launched into a 44-hour journey to his new dwelling, in line with the group. He traveled via North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary earlier than lastly reaching the sanctuary.
However he was “calm and relaxed” through the trek, in line with 4 Paws.
“We made common stops for our accompanying vet to examine on him and fed him with fruit and veggies,” Magdalena Scherk-Trettin, who coordinates 4 Paws’ wild animal rescue and advocacy tasks, mentioned within the launch. “After receiving an inappropriate weight-reduction plan of restaurant leftovers and primarily bread for twenty years, he was just a little reluctant concerning the greens, however munched fortunately on the grapes we gave him.”
Mark was gradual to discover his snowy new habitat, in line with 4 Paws. He hadn’t stepped exterior a cage in over twenty years. He’ll keep in a smaller out of doors enclosure in the interim till he adjusts to his new atmosphere and strikes to a bigger enclosure.
The sanctuary in Arbesbach has operated since 1988, in line with its web site. Mark will be part of three different rescued grizzly bears who dwell on 14,000 sq. meters of “pure environment.”
“With Mark’s rescue we ended the merciless follow of retaining him subsequent to a restaurant to draw and entertain guests,” 4 Paws’ president Josef Pfabigan mentioned within the launch. “We at the moment are one step nearer to a world the place individuals deal with animals with respect, empathy and understanding.”
