Dancing bears are routinely ill-treated, malnourished and neglected – all in the
name of so-called entertainment. The ARCTUROS sanctuary established in northern
Greece provides a safe haven for confiscated bears that would otherwise have to
remain with their abusive keepers. Mitsos is a European brown bear rescued from
just such a pitiful existence in 1992 when he was seven years of age.
The traditional training forced on bears like Mitsos is intensely
brutal. Forced to stand on hot metal plates, the bears instinctively stand on
their hind feet and shuffle back and forth in a peculiar swaying motion,
desperate to reduce the severe pain in their feet. The animals learn to
associate the accompanying music with this ordeal and eventually perform these
movements to the music automatically, creating the cruel impression of dancing.
In order to control the bears, their noses and lips are pierced to insert a
metal ring linked to a chain. Obedience is obtained using a sharp jerk, and the
bears’ teeth are shattered to prevent them defending themselves. Mitsos
was taken his mother as very young cub and has been subjected to severe mouth
and nose injuries. He can therefore never return to the wild.
Sadly, this is not the only danger faced by brown bears. Ben and his brother Manolis were both found orphaned and abandoned after their mother had been killed. They have been unable to learn the valuable skills from their mother that would have enabled them to survive in the wild. They were the lucky ones, rescued and finally brought to the sanctuary where they will receive the care and protection they deserve for the rest of their lives.By becoming a foster parent you are enabling us to continue improving the lives of Ben and Mitsos and other displaced or injured animals, and to protect the habitats of their wild counterparts
For just £24.95* you can adopt Mitsos or Ben for one year.
Packs will be despatched within 10 working days of receipt of order.
*plus P&P
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 | Mitsos arrived at the centre in 1993 when he was eight years old as one of the original 13 brown bears now cared for by ARCTUROS. With nowhere else to house him after his confiscation, Mitsos was .. Read more ... |
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 | Ben and his twin brother Manolis were tragically orphaned at the
age of just 4 months, when their mother was killed by a farmer.
Without their mother's milk, protection and love, they would .. Read more ... |
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