About Bear Alert

Bears in Mind created Bear Alert to monitor and help improve the lives of captive bears who often suffer in poor conditions. 

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Cooperation

Bears in Mind, together with Stiftung für Bären, is dedicated to improve the living conditions for captive bears globally, and collaborate with various animal welfare and nature conservation organizations to achieve this goal. The organization operates a central database called Bear Alert that tracks reported cases of captive bears in dire situations and verifies and updates the information to provide a comprehensive overview of their current status. This database is accessible to registered users. In addition, Bears in Mind works with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) to proactively address the welfare of captive bears in member institutions throughout Europe.

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Success stories

Bear Alerted in Bulgaria

Location: Bulgaria, Kormisosh

Species: Brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos)

Sex: Unknown

Owner: State

Condition: Very poor enclosure, reasonable health

Current status: All 14 bears have been rescued and relocated to various sanctuaries in Europe. 4 of them now live in the Bear Forest.

Together, we make a difference!

When we receive a report about a bear in need, we first consider short-term solutions to improve its situation. This may involve consulting with our partner NGOs or reaching out to the bear's owner to provide advice on proper care, such as diet, water, and housing. We also suggest simple enrichment techniques, like providing the bear with toys or hiding food for it to find, which can help reduce stress and improve its quality of life. In more serious cases, we may need to take more drastic action, such as confiscating the bear if it is being kept illegally or without proper permits and relocating it to a sanctuary or zoo. Unfortunately, space for relocated bears is limited, so we carefully consider all available options and work with organizations like the Bear Forest in the Netherlands and the Romanian Bear Sanctuary to find the best placement for each bear.