site.btaBear Sanctuary in Belitsa Reopens to Visitors on April 1

The Bear Sanctuary in Belitsa will reopen to visitors on April 1, the park’s management announced. During the spring season, from April to June, it will be open from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., while in the summer months it will operate from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The last guided tour of the day begins at 5:00 p.m.

With the reopening, visitors will be able to see the park’s newest residents from abroad. In autumn 2025 the sanctuary became home to bears Frol and Frosia, who arrived from Ukraine. Less than a month ago, the park also welcomed Florencia and Gordo, who travelled thousands of kilometres from Argentina to Bulgaria.

Among the new attractions is an information and exhibition area featuring a first-of-its-kind VR experience titled “Home”, park officials said. The renovated visitor centre was opened last September during celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Four Paws Foundation in Bulgaria and the establishment of the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa.

The park also reported that, after months of winter sleep in their dens, the bears are now beginning to emerge in search of food. As in the wild, their main diet consists of fruit, including apples, pears, plums, grapes. They are also fed cucumbers, lettuce, carrots, as well as fish and honey.

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. Given the warming weather, this is expected to happen soon, before the park reopens. Last year, Mima was the sleepiest bear, hibernating for a full 165 days, the park noted.

At present, the sanctuary is home to 18 rescued bears from Bulgaria, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Ukraine, and Argentina.

Earlier this month, the park sadly said goodbye to 34-year-old Rada, a former dancing bear, who passed away due to heart disease. Despite her difficult past, Rada became one of the most loved animals at the sanctuary, the park said.

Before reopening, the team at the Bear Sanctuary Belitsa reminds visitors that feeding the animals and making loud noises are strictly prohibited in order to ensure the peace and well-being of the bears.