Shortly before their rescue

Unknown persons kidnap bear cub from cage

The two bears were kept in a hotel-restaurant in Albania in cages that were far too small.

(Bild: Vier Pfoten)

Everything was already prepared for the arrival of the shaggy new arrival at the "Vier Pfoten" bear sanctuary in Arbesbach (Lower Austria). But unscrupulous wildlife traders ruined all plans.

"We already had a contract in place to free the creatures of the wild, who were kept in cages that were far too small in a hotel restaurant in the Tomorr National Park in Albania, and to relocate them to our Waldviertel Meister-Petz-Paradise", say Wildlife Director Barbara van Genne and Managing Director Eva Rosenberg from "Vier Pfoten".

But all courageous efforts to save the tortured creatures were in vain. Because overnight, the bare concrete floor behind the rusty bars was suddenly empty.

"The authorities took too long!"
 The two young bears had disappeared and are apparently in the hands of unscrupulous wildlife traders. In any case, the whereabouts of the duo are unknown. Van Genne blames the responsible ministry in the capital Tirana: "The authorities took far too long to confiscate the animals. Now it's all too late!"

However, there is good news from "Mark" (whose godfather is the author of these lines). The bear, who was also freed in Albania, is finally out of the woods after years of suffering.

"Mark" would have had company in the bear sanctuary, but his fellow bears were kidnapped.

(Bild: Vier Pfoten)

Since 2023, "Vier Pfoten" has uncovered shocking evidence of animal cruelty in Albania through wildlife trafficking. At least 27 documented cases reveal the exploitation of big cats and other wild animals for illegal trade as pets or for selfie attractions. This horrific situation, where wild animals are being exploited on social media, in music videos and even in restaurants and hotels, is a cause for concern. There is a danger that uncontrolled big cat breeding and trade is taking place in Albania without a license. The Vienna-based animal welfare organization is urging the authorities to take stronger action against these abuses and to tighten animal welfare laws, including a definitive ban on the private keeping of big cats and bears.

The number of illegally kept big cats in Albania is worryingly high. It is estimated that 60 to 80 big cats are currently kept illegally in private captivity. Most of these cases of animal exploitation and mistreatment come to light via social media, making real-life prosecution difficult. There is also a lack of information on missing bear cubs and the fate of many big cats. "Vier Pfoten" suspects an international network for the legal and illegal trade in Albania, with links to other countries, especially Serbia.

The recent incident of the missing bear cubs and similar cases show that more active action is needed in Albania!

Barbara van Genne, Direktorin der Abteilung für Wildtiere bei „Vier Pfoten“

"Vier Pfoten" had freed Albania's last "restaurant bear" - based on its own research and information available at the time - at the end of 2022 and brought him to the Arbesbach bear sanctuary. "Bear 'Marks' rescue was a major milestone for animal welfare in Albania, but the recent disappearance of the bear cubs shows that there is still a lot to do. The importance of the historic rescue mission can only be maintained if the authorities pay more attention to improving animal welfare regulations and better protect wildlife," says van Genne.