Libearty first nature reserve for captive bears, a novelty in Europe, was inaugurated at Zarnesti, Brasov County (169 km north-west of Bucharest), on Saturday, November 18, Gandul daily informs on Monday.
The reserve avails of 60 ha of oak forest and is the result of an international project conducted by the Million Friends Association of Brasov (central Romania), the Zarnesti town hall that offered the reserve the forest for free and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) that has allocated the project over 1 million euros so far.
Surrounded by a 3-m high electrified iron fence, Libearty offers its 15 guests already brought there from several zoos and forest shelters from all over Romania, all the comfort they need to get used to a half-free life, namely water pools, trees specially prepared to climb on, food shelters and individual dens.
The administration building is expected to get ready by next summer. It will shelter a medical centre for bears, and the whole access road for tourists will be also finalized by then.
The famous actor Pierre Brice starring Winnetou in the series bearing the same name, very well known in the 60s, inaugurated the reserve. Very fond of animals, Pierre Brice baptized Sofia and Gina two 1-year old she-bears, on the occasion, saying he gave them the names of two of his best friends Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida.
ROMPRES
