Stress reduction and socialization are two important factorsthat affect the bears’ quality of life atthe sanctuary. In the following video, you can see how two latecomersto the sanctuary met– Andi and Ina, roommates in the Training Area enclosure. In the near future, the two will become friends and will be ready for the next step – entering the large forest enclosure.
In a previous issue of our newsletter, we toldyou about the rescue of Andi, the „party” bear from Dâmbul Morii, a wooded area on the outskirts of Brasov. The two-and-a-halfyear-old beargot on just fine perched in a tree for more than a week after entering the Trainig Area enclosure. His lofty refuge was gradually abandonedas he began to come down from the tree more frequently. In October, Inacame to keep him company.
Exchanging the dirty concreteof the zoo for the copper-colored leaves of autumnwas confusing for the eighteen-year-old female bear from Piatra Neamț. By the time sheadjusted, Ina had overcomeher emotions and had begun to adapt to the natural environment in the tunnel between the Training Area and the third mini-enclosure.After a month,she got up the courage to comeout of the tunnel, almost hitting Andi.
Surprised by his new roommate rushing him, Andi hugged the trunk of his “refuge”like a child clings to the skirt of his mother. His curiosity won out, and before retreating up the tree he waited to see if Ina would come at him again. The tactic worked: Ina turned around, having learned that she can’t scare anyone. Bears know better than people when and how to keep theirdistancebefore saying hello.Feeling that there wasno threat, Andi (the one with whitecollar) relaxed.A few minutes after their first encounter, the cub was already taking a nice bath, slowly splashingthe pool water.
The Training Area plays an important role in facilitating contact between “fellow bears,”and socialization is also an important step in adapting bears to sanctuary life. Coming from an environment in which peopleweremasters, they now need time to get to knoweach other—to learn to respect each other, to eat together, and eventually tobecome friends.
