site.btaBelitsa Bear Sanctuary Bids Farewell to Late 33-year-old Brown Bear Charlie

The Belitsa Bear Sanctuary (Southwest Bulgaria) bid farewell to the late 33-year-old bear Charlie, the park announced on its official Facebook page on Wednesday. His condition was gradually deteriorating to the point where he could no longer stand. Despite efforts and intensive medical treatment, Charlie's health did not improve.

Brown bears have a lifespan of around 20 to 30 years in the wild.

Before he was rescued by the Sanctuary in 2004, he was tortured as a "dancing bear" – a cruel tradition in which a person forcibly trains the animal to lift its front paws when it hears music, a movement that resembles a dance. Like other bears who were part of this "recreational" practice, Charlie wore a ring through his nose and when he didn't "comply" with his owner's wishes, he was chained to a tree.

Charlie spent 20 years under the care of the Sanctuary’s personnel, which the global animal welfare organization Four Paws and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation jointly run.

“Charlie was truly a king among bears, and for the past few years his caretakers have tended to his needs as an adult bear with daily exercise and plenty of treats, providing comfortable spaces for him to rest,” the Sanctuary added.