For more than 30 years, Felix lived in a cage next to a restaurant, in Slovenia. After years of negotiations, Felix could finally be freed and, on the 8^th of May 2025, be brought to his new home, BEAR SANCTUARY Arbesbach.
His first three weeks, he spent in quarantine, in a smaller adaption enclosure.

During his first minutes in his outdoor enclosure, his curiosity and motivation were unforgettable for us. He nibbled some leaves, sniffed the natural soil, and happily splashed around in his pond. 

After years of captivity in a monotonous environment, and without an opportunity to keep themselves busy, all the new impressions are often overwhelming for a rescued animal. Even when everything is done to give the bear confidence, it often takes weeks, months, if not years, before the bear feels comfortable in his new home. After his first brave steps, Felix also moved to the safety of his retreat enclosure.

 Felix needed time and a calm environment to gain trust. Tentative at first, then increasingly brave, Felix started exploring his outdoor enclosure. With great joy, we followed the development of our courageous senior citizen. Nowadays, Felix calmly wanders about, looking for food to eat, or leaves and branches to nibble. He also rediscovered his pond.