AMP, together with the Romanian Post, have officially launched the project „A postcard, a ticket to freedom!” These postcards representing the six bears, “heroes” of the Libearty sanctuary can be bought from the post offices of six counties in Romania: Brașov, Sibiu, Covasna, Alba, Mureș and Harghita. In just two weeks since the launch of the project over 180 postcards were sold! Buy the postcards with Cristi and Lidia, Yogy, Cleo, Maria and Mura: it costs only 2 Ron!
In order to achieve these postcards, AMP has selected six bears from the Libearty Bear Sanctuary. Their stories are representative of the situation of captive bears in Romania, and the stances in which they were surprised at the sanctuary are quite memorable. This project, designed to provide a part of the necessary funds for supporting the medical treatments and transports of the bears, would not have been possible without the involvement of the Romanian Post. In each edition of the newsletter we will present you one postcard and the story of each bear. In this edition, Cristi and Lidia:
Cristi and Lidia – prizoners on private properties
Cristi was born in 1981 and he was captured in the wild since he was just a cub. He was held in a cage in the back-yard of a restaurant, in Poiana Braşov, together with a female bear- Lidia. The two of them were the highlight for the tourists who came to the restaurant. Since more than 15 years, Cristi and Lidia lived in miserable conditions, with little food, in rusty cages at the mercy of tourists. In August 2005, they have been rescued and brought to the Sanctuary in Zărneşti. Their cell-mate, Viorel, was not so lucky. He became supper on the table of some culinary amateur tourists.
Cristi and Lidia were the first two bears brought to the Sanctuary, and they have a special place in the hearts of the AMP members. As “citizens” of Brașov, and well known by most of the people from Brașov, they are a symbol in the fight for rescuing the captive bears from Romania.
They fight for the last eight bears still living in captivity on private properties: a bear- mascot of the Straja Resort in Hunedoara and the seven bears living at an illegal bear-farm in Fântânele, Arad county.
