From León to a sanctuary in Germany: the new life of Spain's two oldest bears in captivity

León, Jul 29 (EFE).- After 33 years in the municipal nature classroom at Coto Escolar in León, where they were exhibited in cages to visitors, the two oldest brown bears in captivity in Spain, Luna and Ponderoso, are now enjoying their retirement at the Gnadenhof für Bären sanctuary in Bad Füssing, Germany.

According to a statement from the animal rights group PACMA, the animals have completed their journey to Germany, where they will live out the rest of their lives in conditions that will allow them to develop their natural behaviors.

The trip was carried out by Zootransfer without incident, under strict safety and welfare measures. The bears began sedated, but once inside the van, a special vehicle in which they were constantly monitored, they made the journey awake.

The two animals, which were accompanied by a veterinarian and two drivers along the way, have already been unloaded without difficulty and taken directly to the quarantine facility, where they will spend the next three days until they receive the results of their blood tests, as established by the center's veterinary protocols.

This transfer, more than 2,000 kilometers from León, comes after years of criticism from environmentalists and animal rights groups regarding the captive conditions the bears were kept in practically since birth.

Both lived in a cage measuring approximately 600 square meters, which, according to these complaints, does not comply with animal welfare laws. This Tuesday, the cage was opened for the first and last time to transfer the two animals to a van specialized in transporting these types of animals.

End "to a life in a cage"

The transfer, which lasted about twenty-two hours, meant "the end of a life caged" in an enclosure where, despite being "very well cared for," they did not even have a veterinary record, lamented Andrea Torres, Coordinator of the Foundation for Advice and Action in Defense of Animals (FAAD).

León's most famous bears will be moved to a sanctuary in Germany after 33 years in captivity.

The two animals have passed the relevant veterinary checks and mandatory vaccinations and are in good health, Torres said, acknowledging that the transfer "involves a risk worth taking to give them a dignified end of life."

Ten hectares along with fourteen other rescued bears

The Gnadenhof für Bären sanctuary in Bad Füssing (Munich) is home to more than five hundred animals of different species, and there Luna and Ponderoso will share a specific ten-hectare segmented area of assisted freedom with fourteen other rescued bears.

In this new environment, they will have space, specialized veterinary care, and a natural setting adapted to their physical and emotional needs, Torres said.

PACMA and the FAADA Foundation celebrated this initiative, which they described as a "historic precedent for animal welfare in Spain."

"It's a resounding success and demonstrates that collaboration between animal rights organizations, political parties, and public administrations is possible when there is the will," they stated.

Complying with "animal welfare"

Both representatives applauded the ongoing support of the León City Council, which manages the space where Luna and Ponderoso lived and will also cover the relocation costs, estimated at around 6,000 euros.

“Although Luna and Ponderoso will never experience complete freedom due to their entire life in captivity, in the sanctuary they will experience more space, stimulation, and care than ever before,” Torres added.

In León since 1991 and 1993

León City Council, for its part, stated in a statement on Tuesday that this transfer is in response to "compliance with animal welfare regulations and citizen requests for the bears to be relocated to a specialized facility for their care."

Ponderoso arrived at Coto Escolar in 1991, at six months old, and Luna arrived in 1993, at two years old, although the exact date of both births is unknown, so they are at least 33 years old. EFE