The bear rescued a week ago from the Arda river near Smolyan has died, the Ministry of Environment and Waters announced on the social network. Despite the efforts of specialists, the two-year-old female animal failed to recover from the severe injuries and infection.
The bear was discovered on September 24 in the Arda river between the villages of Smilyan and Koshnitsa, after a 112 call from a fisherman. During the initial examination, specialists from the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Waters - Smolyan established that the animal was a female of about two years old with a wound in the neck area, which was probably several days old.
"After sedating the bear, an initial examination was undertaken, during which it was established that the individual was a female with a wound in the neck area," said Ekaterina Gadzheva, director of the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water - Smolyan, quoted by BTA.
The rescue operation involved specialists from the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water - Smolyan, the State Forestry - Smolyan and the "Four Paws" Foundation. With the assistance of the foundation, the bear was transported and examined by veterinary specialists in Blagoevgrad.
The examination confirmed that the animal's condition was serious. It was exhausted, with bite wounds in the neck area, complicated by infection and a parasitic disease. The specialists categorically established that there were no traces of human intervention or gunshot wounds.
After the examination in Blagoevgrad, the animal was transported for recovery to the Center for Nature and Animal Protection in Dobrich, where they also did everything possible to improve its condition. Despite the efforts of veterinarians, the bear cub was unable to cope with the infection and complications.
The signal about the distressed bear cub was received at around 7:00 PM on September 24 on the emergency number 112. Experts from the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water - Smolyan, the State Forestry - Smilyan and the Regional Department of the Ministry of Interior - Smolyan immediately responded to the scene.
Early in the morning of September 25, the injured animal was transported and handed over to the team of the Dancing Bear Park in Belitsa for initial treatment and stabilization. The eco-inspection in Smolyan was unable to determine the exact reasons for the bear cub's condition and how it received its wound.
The case once again highlights the vulnerability of wildlife and the importance of timely response when discovering injured animals.