Elise (8), Robbe (8) and Wannes (11) are allowed to feed bears for once, for those moving to the United Kingdom (inland)

Honey from Watou was carefully smeared on Saturday about boxes with vegetables, fruit and dog food in the country residence of the Berenwelpen Nanuq and Malenky in the sunblood. That is a definitive shelter for neglected and left wild animals that cannot return to nature. Normally this is a job for the Bears Careers of the Center, but this time the job was done with great enthusiasm by Elise Kröle (8) from Denderleeuw, De Broertjes Robbe (8) and Wannes (11) Kröhle from Ghent and their aunt Lisa Willems (35) from Evergem.

« With the whole family we dropped to Vleteren from East Flanders for a weekend away, » says Lisa. « For myself it is the first time in the sunscreen. And suddenly there was a euphoric moment on Saturday morning: at 10.30 a phone call came that we were drawn to see the bears closer and prepare their food. »

The draw is part of a special farewell moment for Nanuq and Malenky. The birth of these cubs was unexpected and suddenly increased the number of bears from four to six. The reception center tries to prevent births of animals in captivity. But brown Berin Sandra was not known that she was pregnant when she was taken care of two years ago with her brother from Ukraine.

The sunwood has more than 400 animals and 130 different animal species. Expansion has been problematic for the animal shelter for years. « Since birth we have done everything we can to obtain an extension of our center, because we certainly wanted to keep the cubs, » said Karel Ackaert, the founder of the Zonnegloed, earlier.

« We bought a hectare of agricultural land to expand the Bear Dovers. It is about land that is not really useful for agricultural use, but we were not allowed to place it in places. Absurd: cows and even deer and striches are held on agricultural land. With six bears in our care they unfortunately do. »

And so the unexpected cubs leave for a stay the United Kingdom. « For these young, resilient cubs, Wildwood Devon is an ideal place where they can grow further and build a new life, » said Ackaert. « Nanuq and Malenky will live together with Mish and Lucy, a different brother-and-sister couple, and enjoy a spacious and safe environment. It is a beauty of a place, every bear in captivity would dream to sit there. »

Read too. Animal shelter must say goodbye to bears by permit: « Absurd, even deer and ostriches are allowed on agricultural land »

The cubs have been the signboard and one of the crowds of the Zonnegloed in the past few years. That also became apparent during the farewell moment. « We are also here on family weekend and are impressed by these bears, » say Ellen Maenhout (34) and Pieter Roelandt (34), parents of Franka (7) and Hella (3) from Lebbeke. « Bears can growl, » Hella notes.

For Lisa and her cousins, the farewell moment became an unforgettable experience. « First we were allowed to look at them up close in their inner home. The distance was safe, but barely forty centimeters. That was impressive, » said Lisa. “The cubs may still look small from far away, but from close by they are of a completely different size (laughs). Outside we put their food ready and cover everything with honey. Apparently Winnie de Pooh is not the only bear who likes to eat it. We saw how the bears sniffed, licked and even rolled in.  » Then they opened the boxes, a tasty farewell gift.