site.btaTourist Flow to Unique Belitsa Bear Park Tripples

Tourist Flow to Unique Belitsa Bear Park Tripples

Belitsa, Southwest Bulgaria, August 24 (BTA) - The flow of
tourists to the dancing bears readaptation park in Adrianov
Chark locality above Belitsa has doubled and tripled compared to
 last year. The simple reason is that the park is accessible to
all kinds of vehicles after the rehabilitation of the 11 km road
 section from the town.

The park has long been an attraction for tourists. It is located
 at an altitude range of 1,200 to 1,345 m, the main "culprits"
for its establishment being the Four Paws and Brigitte Bardot
foundations and Belitsa Municipality. It was developed with the
help of world-renowned experts on brown bear conduct and habits.
 The facility offers a typical habitat appropriate for the
bears.
   
The park for dancing bears, which were previously used to
entertain the public in cities and towns, was opened officially
on November 17, 2000. Today it houses 19 female and seven male
bears, most of them grown up animals at 25 to 30 years.
             
With the help of a team of enthusiasts the bears are gradually
returning back to their natural diet and habits. Last year
nearly all of them hibernated, with the exception of the ones
from Plovdiv (Southern Bulgaria) who spent their first winter in
 the park, Velichka Trichkova of the Four Paws teams says.
   
Many of the bears make their own dens, which the team say means
they are returning to their natural habits. The team is larger
in the summer and alternate between care for the animals and
acting as guides. It is naturally smaller in the winter when the
 bears hibernate. Access and visits to the park have been free
from the moment of its inception.