site.btaBears Arriving in Belitsa from Argentina Adapting Well to New Home

The bears Gordo and Florencia, that arrived in Belitsa from Argentina, are adapting well to their new home. They are currently staying in the indoor enclosures, remain calm, are eating normally, sleeping through the night and showing no signs of aggression during the day, Belitsa Bear Sanctuary Manager Nikola Popkostadinov told BTA.

The bears arrived at the park on Wednesday, February 25, as part of the first mission in Bulgaria's history in which wild animals were transported by plane from another continent. They were rescued from a closed zoo in Lujan and are the first wild animals from that facility to be relocated to a new home.

At present, the bears' menu includes their favourite grapes. Foods typical for the other residents of the Belitsa Bear Sanctuary - such as apples, pears and carrots - will gradually be introduced. Oranges, which Gordo and Florencia are accustomed to from Argentina, as well as fish and eggs, will also be included in their diet. Seasonal vegetables common in Bulgaria will be added progressively.

Dr Marina Ivanova, deputy head of the Four Paws mission in Argentina and a veterinarian, spoke to BTA about the mission and the condition of the animals at the now-closed zoo. Since September 1, 2025, a Four Paws team has been caring for the animals at the facility - 62 big cats (lions and tigers) and two brown bears.

"From the very first day, when we saw the conditions in which the brown bears were living - they were not even in proper enclosures but in something like cages, with barely enough space to turn around, let alone live a normal bear life - we realised we had to do everything possible to bring them here to Belitsa. As absurd as it sounded at first for bears to fly from Argentina to Bulgaria, land in Sofia and then travel to the park in Belitsa, it turned out to be possible," Dr Ivanova said.

According to her, the mission required strong goodwill and coordinated efforts from many parties - not only Four Paws, but also the authorities in both Argentina and Bulgaria, as well as the airline that carried out the flight.

After a 14-hour flight from Argentina to Frankfurt and another two hours to Sofia, followed by ground transport to Belitsa, the bears are now in their enclosures and will gradually familiarize themselves with their new habitat.

"I am happy to see that they feel well. I know a very different future awaits them here compared to what they have experienced so far. It is normal for the surroundings to seem somewhat strange to them. They will also adjust to the temperature, as Argentina is currently at the end of summer. I hope the weather remains pleasant over the next few days," Dr Ivanova added.