The JJ4 bear in Romania, the proposal of animal rights activists. But for experts the sanctuary is not suitable

In the opening photo, released by the Oipa press office, we see a group of bears hosted in the Libearty Sanctuary Of Zarnesti, in Romania, where, according to the animal welfare association, bear JJ4 could be transferred, currently locked up in the Alpine fauna recovery center of Casteller, in Trentino. The bears (there are 15 in the photo) look like a grazing herd in a clearing on the edge of a forest.

On the site of the Romanian structure we read that at the moment the bears housed are “over 100”, in an area of ​​69 hectares (the communiqué of the animal rights associations reports 80 hectares), which correspond to less than one square kilometre. Can this type of accommodation really be considered suitable for animals for which the living space is about 100 square kilometers? “I have seen some photos and the first consideration is that seeing so many bears close to each other is very far from what is needed for the well-being of a wild animalspecifically of a bear – he explains Philip Zibordi, zoologist who collaborated on the Life Ursus project in the Adamello Brenta –. Bears stay together, in so many of them, only when they lose their wildnessor if they were born together, in captivity”.

In short, in nature it would be impossible to see so many bears all together. So how does the sanctuary achieve this apparently peaceful coexistence? “It is evident that the moment they succeed they have nullified all their instincts – replies the zoologist – and among these they certainly acted to block sexual instincts, because males normally have attitudes of dominance over others, because for mating with females they tend to overwhelm their rivals”.

Zibordi then responds thus to the question about how does a facility for wild bears qualify as “suitable”?: “There is no suitable structure to accommodate a bear born and lived in the wild, because, however large, a facility of confinement annihilates their instincts. In fact, there is no space large enough for the bear to look for food by itself. As Native Americans say, ‘a bear is never too far from its next meal’, which means that it lives in constant tension to meet its needs for nutrition and reproduction.”

Carla Rochipresident of Enpa clarifies: “The problem is that we are looking for the best possible solution for the JJ4 bear. We would like it to remain at the Casteller, where it is now, but the Province of Trento does not want to keep it there. For us, the definitive solution would be the construction of an area already identified on the Adamello, for which there is already financial coverage, but the problem is that the decisions of the Province are not clear. We sent an expert veterinarian to inspect the Romanian facility and he told us that given the conditions and the emergency, it is a positive solution. And if others have better solutions, let us present them we are committed to the best solution for bears“.

Of the veterinary report, Dr Rainer Schneiderthe press release of the associations thus reports some excerpts: “The sanctuary in Romania has an area of ​​80 hectares and houses about 120 bears, many of which have been recovered from situations of ill-treatment and others injured by poachers. Only 30% of the spaces can be visited, with accompanied groups, so as not to annoy the animals, who quietly go about their life. There are areas for young bears, older bears and a main area where most of the bears coexist in harmony. Each enclosure, constantly monitored by cameras and delimited by double internal and external electrification, is equipped with large pools where the animals cool off and play”.

The interview

“She-bear captured in Trentino, JJ4’s cubs will make it on their own”

by Cristina Nadotti

April 18, 2023

“Stereotypies are not observed, the bears are relaxed, their diet is mostly fruit based and the males are sterilized to avoid fights in the mating season. – continues the press release – The staff is prepared and competent, the management animated by a genuine passion for the protection of this species. If it were moved, JJ4 would first be placed on a fenced area of ​​about 7,000 square meters for acclimatization (training area), then it would move to the large area in the company of other bears. The sanctuary has a truck equipped for transporting the animals even over long distances: therefore, no problem for the possible journey from Trento”.

Another zoologist, Nicholas Bressivery active in scientific dissemination on social media, has published a post that denies the idyllic vision of the Romanian structure: “If you like the lager, you call it a sanctuary‘. Bears are solitary animals, with living spaces that go well over 100 sq km. The proposed ‘sanctuary’ constrains 120 bears (one hundred and twenty!) after having castrated them, in 0.8 sq km. Do they even put him in striped pajamas?”

On the phone, Bressi added: “Of course the bears are sterilized: even in single cages, but necessarily nearby, the estrus of a female in heat would drive the surrounding males crazy and the males in love are very violent and often kill and devour other bears. Furthermore, any litters born and fed in captivity (therefore not releasable) would overpopulate the zoo”.

It is therefore permissible to return to the initial doubt: can this be defined as a “suitable structure” to guarantee “the best solution for bears”, as the president of Enpa, Rocchi clarified? “Nobody is in bears’ heads – reflects Filippo Zibordi – and beyond the way in which our laws define animal welfare (among the 5 freedoms that guarantee animal welfare is the freedom to be able to manifest species-specific behavioral characteristics , ed) it is legitimate to ask whether a wild animal would rather die than be sentenced to life imprisonment. As regards the management of bears in Trentino – concludes the expert – we must foresee that every year in the Alps there are from one to three ‘problem’ animals, i.e. unsuitable to be left free: will there be ‘sanctuaries’ for everyone? Considering that a bear lives up to 40 years in captivity, who will put the necessary economic resources into it?“.