Sister bears reunited at last

Anca, a fluffy, 24-year-old female brown bear, was kept in a bleak zoo in Piatra Neamt in Romania for over 20 years with her sister Ina. In October 2014, AMP rescued Ina from the horrendous captive conditions but, at that time, were unable to secure Anca’s release.

Anca’s home was made up of three tiny cages. The middle cage was the smallest – a barren pen with a concrete floor where she was kept for most of her life, with nothing to do but pace back and forth. On weekends, she was kept in a slightly larger cage so that tourists could get a better look at her. Anca showed clear signs of psychological distress, being kept captive in these terrible, inadequate conditions, constantly photographed by people who would never know her suffering.

Family reunions don’t get much sweeter than this. 

Since rescuing her sister Ina from the same cages in 2014, the AMP team had been working hard to convince the zoo’s manager to surrender Anca as well. It was a combination of this lobbying, pressure from Piatra Neamt's mayor, and an online petition signed by over 500 people, that prompted her rescue.

Anca in transit - on the road to Libearty

The rescue went very smoothly and, as soon as she arrived, Anca was curious about her new home. She was relishing her lush green surroundings – playfully rolling around and rubbing her back along the ground as if experiencing grass for the very first time.

Ina awaiting Anca's arrival at the sanctuary

Now she’s reunited with her sister Ina, free to live a peaceful life together in their forested sanctuary.

It’s happy endings such as these that supporters like you make possible for animals in need. Thank you. We’ll keep you updated on the progress of these two sister bears you’ve helped reunite.

Anca exploring the greenery of her new home

She [Anca] is an amazing bear, beautiful and so calm and sweet. We are all very grateful that we have finally managed to bring her into the sanctuary. – Paula Ciotlos, Vice President of AMP