Video: The bears from Gyumri arrived in the Libearty sanctuary!

April 12, 2016

After a few days of accomodation, when Grisha seemed to be afraid to get close to Masha, the bears saved from the Gyumri Zoo (Armenia) are finally playing with each other!

April 5, 2016

See the reactions of Masha and Grisha at their first meeting outside the cages and how happy they were to step on the grass for the first time.

April 1st

13.00 hours

The flight that brought Masha and Misha to Romania has just landed in Bucharest!

The Austrian Airlines flight that brought Misha and Masha to Romania has just landed in Bucharest. A team of the Millions of Friends Association is now waiting for the documents that will allow them to take the bears and carry them to the Libearty sanctuary.

11:50 hours

The bears from Gyumri took off from Vienna!

The flight that brings Masha and Misha to Romania took off from Vienna.They should land on the „Henri Coanda“ airport (Bucharest) in about one hour (13.00, local time).

April 1st

The bears from Gyumri are on their way to the Libearty sanctuary!

Masha and Misha took off from Yerevan, this morning, aboard an Austrian Airlines flight to reach the Libearty sanctuary. Despite the fact that today is the 1st of April, we have the confirmation that the bears, that had been waiting to be transfered to the Libearty sanctuary, landed in Vienna. The Austrian veterinary authorities checked the bears and now, they are ready to fly to Bucharest where the AMP will collect them and bring them to the safety of the Libearty sanctuary.

We will keep you up to date about their transportation!

Update
March 30, 2016

The transfer of the bears from Gyumri (Armenia) to the Libearty sanctuary has been postponed

Because of the high weight of the bears and their boxes, Masha and Misha could not be emplaned in Yerevan.

Under these conditions, all the NGOs involved in this rescue effort are looking for another solution to transfer the bears to the Libearty sanctuary, where we have already prepared their future home.

We will come back as soon as we have certain data!

Update
March 25, 2016

The Millions of Friends Association can confirm that there was a logistical problem with the documents required by the airline for the bears from Gyumri to come to the Libearty sanctuary. The Romanian authorities do their best to provide all the documents and fulfil all the special demands of the Austrian Airlines.  

Things like this may happen when we talk about wild animals transportation. They are souls, not goods and they need special care. When there are lots of authorities and parts involved, small obstacles may appear.

At this time, the place at the Libearty sanctuary is prepared for Masha and Misha and their brothers in the sanctuary are eager to meet them and we are sure the two bears will enjoy their new life.

We thank the representatives of the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets in Armenia that take care of the sister and brother bears and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for their permanent and huge involvement!

Update
January 28, 2016

According to the Armenian authorities, Masha and Misha might stay in the Yerevan Zoo for the next 20-30 days. They will be in a special quarantine period, required before travelling to their freedom place – the Libearty sanctuary.

You can offer your support HERE in the campaign we started for Masha and Misha
Or
Directly in the AMP account HERE. (Please mention: „Bears from Gyumri Zoo“)
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January 26, 2016
Masha and Misha, the captive bears that lived in awful conditions in a private zoo in Gyumri (Armenia), will have the chance to feel the taste freedom for the first time in their lives, in the biggest brown bear sanctuary in Europe – Libearty.

The Millions of Friends Association accepted the request of the Government in Armenia and the SOS Gyumri Zoo Animals Group to offer the two bears a home in  the biggest brown bears sanctuary in Europe – Libearty. The Daily Mail reported their story for the first time.

The Brigitte Bardot Foundation offered to support both the care of Masha and Misha until they will reach Romania and the expenses for the transportation to the Libearty Sanctuary.

At this moment, the Millions of Friends Association are waiting for all the official documents to be filled in in order to take and transport the bears, by plane, to Bucharest.

Masha and Misha, who need urgent medical treatments, will spend a while in the quarantine area. After that, there will be a long time for rehabilitation, so that these animals who were stressed all their lives, to enjoy the freedom of the sanctuary. Our bears will give them a warm welcome and will make room in the bears’forest. Although they come from another country, Masha and Misha are just two bears who deserve to live free.

We are glad that Romania is the country that offers the second chance for the bears from our friend country Armenia and we thank the Romanian authorities for their acceptance to have Masha and Misha in the Libearty sanctuary.

Keep in mind! The AMP commitment for caring one bear means 5,000 euros a year. We hope that all the animal protection associations and people who involved in saving the bears will help us from now on to offer these two bears many years of freedom!

You can offer your support HERE in the campaign we started for Masha and Grisha
Or
Directly in the AMP account HERE. (Please mention: „Bears from Gyumri Zoo“)