Vienna, 21 August 2024 – A refreshing pool, frozen fruit treats, and a well-deserved midday nap in the shade – brown bears at the FOUR PAWS sanctuaries know how to beat the summer heat. Each day is filled with new discoveries as experienced caretakers prepare daily enrichments for the animals, most of which have been rescued from cruel keeping conditions and exploitation. Some bears, like 26-year-old Mark in Austria, enjoy fishing for enrichments, others, like 18-year-old Meimo in Switzerland, enjoy taking a long siesta to sleep through peak temperatures. Currently, 90 brown bears live in the bear sanctuaries and cooperation projects run by global animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS, all with different personalities and different favourite summer activities.

What have the brown bears at the FOUR PAWS sanctuaries recently been up to? Here are some of their most favourite activities to stay cool in the summer heat in Europe:

Bear Mark's annual big bath

Swimming is a basic need for bears to regulate their body temperature on hot days. Because of this, it comes as no surprise that many bears at the FOUR PAWS sanctuaries enjoy a relaxing swim to cool down. To make their swim more exciting, our caretakers place objects like wooden crates or balls in the water. The bears love playing with these enrichments, and they are often seen floating in the water, playfully holding onto wooden crates with their paws and enjoying the activity.

Ice, ice, baby – Bears Hana and Balou love frozen fruit popsicles to stay cool

On hot summer days, bears like 25-year-old Hana from BEAR SANCTUARY Prishtina in Kosovo enjoy licking frozen fruit popsicles. The preparation of these popsicles is easy: seasonal fruits like melons or pears are frozen individually or as big, merged chunks in buckets. Once solid, the caretakers tie them to branches or hide them inside the enclosure. After they leave the enclosure, the bears are ready to discover their special summer treats and start their search for the tasty enrichments. Since every bear has their individual preferences for fruit, the popsicles are adapted to their liking.

“22-year-old bear Balou is one of our tallest bears at the BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz and a creative expert in finding frozen popsicles. One reason for that is that he is highly food motivated. It does not take long for Balou to discover hanging popsicles inside his enclosure. After licking it to check if he approves of the flavour, he rips down the block of ice and takes it to a shady corner of his enclosure. Since his rescue in 2012 from a German zoo with horrible keeping conditions, Balou has developed into a curious bear with fascinating problem-solving skills. No enrichment is too tricky for him and even carabiners are no obstacles for him anymore,” says Thomas Beer, Chief Animal Caretaker at BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz in Germany.

Bear Meimo's midday naps to sleep through summer temperatures

Even the most energetic bears need a break after a long swimming session or after indulging in frozen fruits – especially during hot temperatures. The great quantity of greenery, caves and pools embedded in the species-appropriate and natural surroundings at the FOUR PAWS sanctuaries, help them find shady and cozy spots for midday naps whenever it gets too warm. Surrounded by colourful wildflowers, 18-year-old bear Meimo from Arosa Bear Sanctuary shows how a relaxing nap in the dreamy landscapes of the Swiss Alps can look like. Laying on his back, the bear is unbothered by the warm temperatures.

Bears in private keeping in Slovenia still suffer all year long

Sadly, there are many other bears that are still being kept in cruel private keeping. In Slovenia, just a few hundred kilometres away from BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach, four bears still suffer in cruel captivity. In summer 2023, FOUR PAWS visited the bears and measured temperatures around 30 degrees. Despite the high temperatures, neither of the bears had any possibility to bathe and none of them had drinking water at their free disposal. Denying them water and any means to cool down puts the animals at risk of dehydration and overheating, which can even be life-threatening. FOUR PAWS continues to work tirelessly to help the bears in Slovenia but relies on the support of the responsible authorities.

FOUR PAWS bear sanctuaries: Species-appropriate homes for traumatised bears

FOUR PAWS bear sanctuaries across the world are home to 90 brown bears and 47 Asiatic black bears rescued from cruel private keeping, circuses, bile bear farms and other facilities, where they were exploited, abused, locked up in tiny cages and kept in inappropriate conditions. At the FOUR PAWS sanctuaries, experienced caretakers and veterinarians help the bears recover from their previous trauma, conduct regular in-depth veterinary checks and allow the animals to live a species-appropriate life with daily enrichments and a diet tailored to their specific needs.