Koukla (meaning ‘doll’ in Greek) was seven years old when Greek authorities confiscated her. Her nose ring had torn through both her nose and lip, and her badly damaged teeth required specialist veterinary treatment. Thanks to the care provided by Arcturos staff, Koukla is now strong and healthy. Weighing in at a healthy 150kg, she has a thick, blond glossy coat and enjoys swimming in the sanctuary’s pool.
After five years at the sanctuary, Koukla’s carers were relieved to see her hibernating for the first time, just like a wild bear. Since then she has done so every winter. Koukla has struck up a close bond with her companion Mitsos, who arrived at the sanctuary in the same year, and they roam around in the woods together with their three other companions.
Dancing bears are routinely ill-treated, malnourished and neglected – all in the name of so-called entertainment. The ARCTUROS sanctuary established in northern Greece provides a safe haven for confiscated bears that would otherwise have to remain with their abusive keepers. Mitsos and Koukla are two European brown bears rescued from just such a pitiful existence in 1992 when they were both seven years of age.
The traditional training forced on bears like Koukla is intensely brutal. Forced to stand on hot metal plates, the bears instinctively stand on their hind feet and shuffle back and forth in a peculiar swaying motion, desperate to reduce the severe pain in their feet. The animals learn to associate the accompanying music with this ordeal and eventually perform these movements to the music automatically, creating the cruel impression of dancing. In order to control the bears, their noses and lips are pierced to insert a metal ring linked to a chain. Obedience is obtained using a sharp jerk, and the bears’ teeth are shattered to prevent them defending themselves.
Koukla was taken from her mother as a very young cub and has been subjected to severe mouth and nose injuries. She can therefore never return to the wild. Funds raised through this adoption programme will primarily be used to care for Koukla in a beautiful wooded five hectare sanctuary, as well as to protect bears in the wild.
For just $49.00 you can adopt Koukla for one year
Brown Bear Adoptions - $49.00
Adopt a bear for one year and you will receive:
A personalised adoption certificate with a picture of Koukla
An exclusive Care for the Wild International teddy bear
A bear fact sheet, packed with information
A CWI window sticker
An update on your bear's progress after six months of adoption
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Care for the Wild International (CWI) is an animal welfare and conservation charity that funds practical projects . We make areas safe from poachers, rehabilitate sick or injured animals and provide sanctuary for those who cannot return to the wild. We also act as a global voice for wildlife through research, education and advocacy.
