According to estimates, at least around 40 bears live in captivity in Albania, where they are put on show in bars and restaurants. These illegal practices not only subject these animals to a great deal of suffering, but also have other far-reaching consequences. The killing of female bears and removal of the young puts Albania’s bear population, which is already small, at risk of complete collapse. Furthermore this country plays a key role in the long-term survival of the brown bear in the western Balkans. Animals migrating from the Pindus Mountains in the south or from the northern Dinarides often disappear into thin air in Albania, with the result that the entire Dinarides-Pindus population reaching from Slovenia in the north to Greece in the south is at risk of slowly dying out.
Poor education, inadequate controls and insufficient sanctions are some of the main reasons why this sordid business with bears is able to continue. This is why PPNEA, with EuroNatur’s support, has started an awareness-raising campaign. The documentary film “bears belong to nature” plays an important role in this campaign.
Link to the video documentary “bears belong to nature” on YouTube