Leo Katyusha
The Libearty bear population has reached the impressive number of 72. The first bears brought in 2013 are Katyusha and Leo, both from the Bucov zoo, Prahova county. Being accustomed to the electrical fence of the zoo, the two “guests” were released one by one in the third enclosure, where they will remain tenants.
Katyusha was brought to Libearty on a beautiful early spring day, at the end of February. The zoo management had received two young bears, and the “zoo-bear career” of the oldest occupants of the pen has ended. Katyusha and Leo were expected to resign in the concrete lair where they have hibernated for years. Docile, the 15 years old female bear came first in “audience” falling asleep under the effect of the tranquilizers administered by the AMP vet. When she woke up, she was already on her way to a new life. She did not hesitate long after the transportation cage was affixed to the third enclosure’s gate. She stepped into the new enclosure, sniffing the mountain air, and the breakfast meal. It was not long until the hosts – the bears released in autumn in the third enclosure – came out to greet the guest with bread and salt. Now Katyusha is eating with the other residents and walking together with them as if they knew each other for a lifetime. A lifetime at the zoo…
Leo was a little more difficult. With 25 years of captivity pressing his furry back, the bear has grabbed sindicalist skills and was not so easily indulged by negotiations. After a week of culinary constraints, he finally entered the den ready to accept his “promotion”. If he knew he would have a larger den, longer meal breaks, allowance provided and younger colleagues with so much desire to assert, then he would have signed right away the contract with the vet’s syringe. Obviously, a promotion comes with greater responsibilities, so he agreed to be castrated in order not to give descendants to the Sanctuary. Being accommodated in the largest enclosure of the Sanctuary, it took some time for Leo to find Katyusha. Together with other bears, they will be able to troubleshoot memories dotted with bars until the end of their lives…
