Environmental crime Committed in Prespes

The guards of the National Park Operator of Prespes found a new born bear on Thursday 19 of March 2015, in arural area outside of Vrondero village in Prespes. It is possible that unknown people either removed mommy bear from the nest or killed her in order to get the new born bear. This action is probably linked with the bear trade in Albania, where captivity of bears is still a widespread phenomenon. After the mobilization of the competent bodies, the little bear was taken to the Care Center of ARCTURUS, where it will remain in a special diet program until it reintegrates into its natural habitat.

The same day another male bear was found in Vrondero village. He firstly diverged from the settlement but he returned two days later and collapsed exhausted. The people in charge were mobilized again in order to protect the bear and the village, judging as necessary the transfer of the animal in the Care Center of ARCTURUS. However, due to the heavy snowfall at night, the transfer was postponed for the following day. The guards of the park operator stayed with the bear at night, defying the unfavorable weather conditions.

On the next day, representatives of the Forest Management, the Park Operator and the environmental organizations "Prespes protection company", "ARCTURUS" and "KALLISTO" hastened to the area to rescue the unlucky bear. The specialists who work with ARCTURUS as partners, numbed the animal and transfered it for some medical examinations in the Care Center of ARCTURUS. There, it was found that the bear was 12 months old and had been shot in the head.

Unfortunately, this is not the first incident against the brown bear that has been recorded in Vrondero village and also in the wider area of the Prespes National Park. With the intervention of the authorities, we hope that the guilty ones will be found and punished.

For more information

For journalists:
Forest management of Florina: Panagiotis Papaioannou, Deputy Dean - 2385045757
Operator of Prespes National Forest: Nikos Giannakis, President - 6977641420
Prespes Protection Company: Mirsini Malakou, Director - 2385051211
ARCTURUS: Panos Stefanou, Communications responsible - 6946001618
Kallisto: Giorgos Theodoridis, Media and communications responsible - 2310252530