site.btaUPDATED Two Bears Complete Long Journey from Argentina Zoo to Belitsa Sanctuary in Bulgaria

Two bears from an Argentinian zoo successfully completed a long journey to the Belitsa bear sanctuary on Wednesday, to become the first bears ever flown from South America to Bulgaria, according to the Four Paws Foundation, which led the relocation project with support from Bulgarian and international institutions and organizations. 

Gordo and Florencia landed at Sofia Airport earlier on February 25. They were rescued from the Lujan Zoo.

In an online campaign to raise funds for the move, Four Paws wrote that Gordo and Florencia had been kept in inadequate enclosures without enough space and enrichment, could not hibernate, and lacked proper long-term care. Both animals exhibited clear signs of mental suffering.   

The bears were vaccinated, dewormed, and cleared for travel. Upon arrival in Belitsa, they will initially have separate enclosures to adapt safely, with the possibility of social integration later under expert supervision. The sanctuary will provide everything Gordo and Florencia have been denied: space, enrichment, and proper care, Four Paws said. 

Flora the tigress was relocated together with Gordo and Florence. Her new home will be the FELIDA Big Cat Sanctuary in the Netherlands.

At a news briefing at Sofia Airport, Dr Amir Khalil, the Four Paws vet and head of the Argentina rescue mission, said that it took months of hard work to prepare the bears for the long flight to Bulgaria. 

Asked by BTA what the expectations are for the bears' adjustment, he said that the experts don't expect problems with the adaptation even though it is some 30C colder in Bulgaria than in Argentina right now.

Four Paws President and CEO Josef Pfabigan said the organization's mission is to create a better work for animals. Animals either belong in nature or humans must provide living conditions for them that are as close is possible to their natural environment, he added.

Jesus Caballero, the CEO of SOF Connect, which is the Sofia Airport operator, said it has been a very special project for the company, that was six years in the making. 

Argentinian Embassy staff members expressed hope that the two bears will have a happy life in Bulgaria.

Lufthansa pilot Mario Bakalov provided logistical support during the flight. 

Before starting on the last leg of their trip, Gordo and Florencia snacked on grapes and apples.

The happy ending of the mission was officially announced by Josef Pfabigan, who congratulated Dr Khalil and Luciana Debramo of Four Paws for the team's efforts. 

Approached by BTA at the sanctuary, Dr Khalil said he felt exhausted but happy after the long operation as the animals, both aged around 16, have always lived in cramped conditions of several square meters. The Belitsa sanctuary is paradise for them, he said, adding that he is looking forward to the moment they will be free.

The animals were transferred from the transportation cages to indoor enclosures in the sanctuary, and the plan is to release them in outdoor enclosures on Thursday or Friday, the sanctuary manager, Nikola Popkostadinov, told BTA. Gordo and Florencia's arrival brings the number of inhabitants of the Bear Park in Belitsa to 19.

Popkostadinov said the team in Argentina had prepared a diet, which will be followed strictly. The bears will initially receive grapes, which, along with peaches, are among their favourite foods. Gordo is overweight and weight loss is on the menu for him.

In late 2025, Four Paws International carried out its largest mission to date, providing emergency assistance to more than 60 animals kept in overcrowded inadequate conditions at the former Lujan Zoo in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, which closed in 2020. Gordo and Florence are the first animals to be successfully relocated, while long-term solutions are being developed for the big cats found in the zoo, the organization said.