His Majesty, Charles – the Prince of Wales it’s a well known guest in Transilvania, where he restored some German houses and comes to visit the people in Viscri Village every year. The royal figure didn’t know – but who did? – that 200 kilometers away from Viscri another Prince of the Carpathian forests begged for food and water, prisoner of an old rusty cage for at least 30 years. He didn’t have an official name, but the volunteers from the Center for Saving and Treating Wild Animals called him in many ways: „the old one”, „uncle”, or Charles. Prince Charles. After an investigation tour made by AMP and WSPA teams in September, the staff from the sanctuary returned to Petresti, near Focsani(Vrancea County), at the Center for Saving and Treating Wild Animals. We were ready to take the two bears forgotten there: Winnie and Prince Charles. At the end of this month, Charles touched the ground with his paws for the first time in his life.
Nobody knows how old is „the Prince”. He, Winnie and a female bear named Mona were the only animals left when the old zoo from the forest of Petresti(Crangasi) closed the gates. Last winter, Mona died, ending this way the suffering of the cold weather, snow and illness. For Charles, this winter could have been his last one, if he was left at Petresti. AMP’s vet found the bear in a terrible condition: lungs problem that make him caugh, possible heart desease, artrites, eyes problems. He looks like 35-40 years old, but nobody knows the exact age except the forest where he was born.
The day he was released in a big enclosure, Charles seemed to be full of life. He checked his new home from one corner to another, with his paws touching the ground for the first time. The ultimate atraction was the pool. He never saw his face in the mirror of the water before. Now he has a large and fresh water pool, all for himself;. Without hesitation, The Prince dived and tasted the freedom…
