CP1108928152
Doctors and activists of the FOUR PAWS animal welfare international organization are preparing to load sleeping brown bear Wojtusia into a cage and onto a truck in Braniewo, Poland, Wednesday, 14 Dec. 2016, to transport it from inappropriate conditions at the unlicensed local zoo in northeastern Poland to a spacious enclose and good conditions at a professional zoo in Poznan, in western Poland. The organization says the transfer marks the end of illegal keeping of brown bears in Poland. (Christiane Flechtner/ FOUR PAWS via AP)

Activists save 2 brown bears from poor conditions in Poland

WARSAW, Poland – Two brown bears were being transported Wednesday from very poor conditions at an unlicensed zoo in northeastern Poland to a spacious enclosure hundreds of kilometres away.

The transfer put an end to the illegal keeping of brown bears in Poland, the FOUR PAWS international organization said.

Magdalena Scherk-Trettin of FOUR PAWS said that 21-year-old, Ukraine-born Pietka and his 15-year-old daughter Wojtusia were being transported from small, concrete-floored enclosures in Braniewo to a licensed zoo in Poznan, in the west of Poland. They were examined by a veterinarian and briefly tranquilized to enable their loading on a truck for the daylong journey.

The Braniewo zoo bought Pietka from a Ukrainian circus when he was less than one- year-old. Wojtusia was born in the zoo. They were malnourished there and had no medical care, the organization said.

Earlier this year, FOUR PAWS saved two other brown bears from Braniewo, Scherk-Trettin said.

___

This story has been corrected to say FOUR PAWS saved bears earlier this year, not Scherk-Trettin

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles