After Three Decades Imprisoned, Felix Gets a Liberation from His Cage
With a tranquilizing dart in hand, the vet is on edge, waiting for Felix. Szilvia Kalogeropoulou, a wildlife specialist at Vetmed in Vienna, is known for her sharp aim. All that's missing now is the bear. It's pouring rain today in Stara Cerkev, Slovenia, a town nestled in the hills. Maybe that's why the beast isn't leaving its enclosure. Felix is due for a rescue.
A Lifetime in Solitude
Felix has never felt grass beneath his paws, never hidden in the forest or wallowed in a natural pool. The bear is 34 years old and has spent his entire life in a prison cell alongside a restaurant - serving as an entertainment option. His quarters are made of cold, hard concrete. Cars hum by on the road nearby, and a gas station sits just a few meters away - no sanctuary for a wild animal.
Animal welfare organization Four Paws has been fighting for months for Felix and finally convinced the owners to relinquish him. He's destined for a better life at the Bear Forest Arbesbach in Waldviertel, Austria. "It's Felix's last chance," says Eva Rosenberg, Four Paws' boss in Austria. For his companion Mascha, help came too late. She died last year.
There's no activity inside the concrete cell. No sound. No movement. "Felix could be dead," grumbles the vet. With the rescue so near, everyone is on edge. "Felix, Felix," the owner calls out reluctantly. Various treats like lettuce, grapes, and dried plums with honey are tossed into the cage.
Felix has a sweet tooth. These treats are meant to lure him out. A rescuer hoists himself onto the cage, drops a camera down on a rope to get a closer look inside, and tosses in salmon.
Does he like that? The man on the cage roof brings it back up.
A Stir in the Shadows
At 11:53 a.m., Felix sticks his head out - a full hour and a half after the rescue operation began. The rescuers are soaked.
Four Paws started a campaign 14 months ago to raise awareness about the fate of captive bears in Slovenia. Because Felix is not the only bear still trapped in private captivity. Mici and Tim are still languishing in cages. 100,000 people have signed the petition to hold the responsible minister accountable. And he did. The authorities conducted inspections and ordered the owners to improve conditions for the bears or surrender them willingly.
State Secretary Jure Lebens is on the scene. He wants to witness the operation to demonstrate that the bears are moving to a welcoming environment. "I hope Felix has many more years to enjoy his new home in Arbesbach." Lebens plans to speak with other owners this week. A new law grants him this opportunity.
Since 2004, it has been forbidden in Slovenia for private individuals to keep bears taken from the wild. However, there were exceptions for owners who acquired their animals before 2004 and could not or chose not to release them. The Animal Welfare Act was updated in 2021; it now includes a list of animals that can and cannot be kept as pets, with bears and big cats forbidden under the latter category.
Veterinarian Kalogeropoulou takes aim. She hits the mark. Felix now has two darts embedded in his hindquarters, Each shot containing a sedative. Slowly, he starts to lose consciousness. He stumbles and gobbles down everything offered to him: lettuce, grapes, dried plums. Then he collapses.
Felix Drifts Away
The Four Paws team waits to make sure the animal is safely asleep. Then they hoist the bear onto a stretcher. It's not as easy as it seems: Felix weighs an estimated 300 kilos. The helpers carry the sleeping animal up the stairs. In the bear ambulance, Felix - with his eyes bandaged and mouth secured - is examined. The owner is in tears.
Transports of old wild animals are delicate. They cause stress and pose risks to the animals. "You never know what might happen," says Rosenberg. Felix appears stable. Now he's moved to the transport box. The giant bear is freed from his eye cover and mouth gag. He is soothed and then brought round. Felix is testy. A good sign.
The journey to the Waldviertel begins.
A Home Awaits Felix in Bear Forest Arbesbach
In his new home, after three weeks of quarantine, he will have a 1,600 square-meter enclosure at his disposal - complete with trees, bushes, rocks, and a large pond.
Four Paws has operated a bear sanctuary in Arbesbach since 1998. Currently, four bears live here: Brumca, Erich, Mark, and soon, Felix. The bear forest has been expanded by 10,000 square meters for additional enclosures recently. Visitors can catch a glimpse of the daily life of the animals. It reopens on May 24th. More information is available at: www.bearforest.at.
The facility was designed with the needs of older animals in mind. A shallow ramp leads into the pond, which is designed at various depths: the bear doesn't have to swim, he can simply lie in the water. His indoor enclosure can also be heated.
"Welcome Felix" is written on a sign in Bear Forest Arbesbach. Felix is already eating his lettuce and sleeping on a hill of straw. Concrete is a thing of the past. Here, Felix can live out his days in peace.
At the Bear Forest Arbesbach, Felix will find a vast 1,600 square-meter enclosure full of trees, bushes, rocks, and a large pond, providing a drastic change from his previous home-and-garden that was surrounded by a restaurant and a bustling road.
In the realm of animal welfare, Four Paws has launched a campaign advocating for sustainable living, aiming to rescue not just Felix, but other captive bears like Mici and Tim from similar lifestyles in Slovenia. This endeavor aligns with their vision of providing these animals with a better environment, free from confinement and promoting a humane lifestyle for all creatures.
