One of the brown bears at Arcturos Sanctuary in Nymfeo, Greece, enjoying the first rays of spring after waking from hibernation.
Credit : Shutterstock, Fanouria
Spring has sprung in northern Greece, and so have the brown bears at the Arcturos Bear Sanctuary.
After months of hibernation, the furry residents are finally up and about — and each one is handling the wake-up call in their own way.
Brown bears emerge in Greece as sanctuary reopens for spring
Tucked away in the snow-covered forests of Nymfeo, the sanctuary has reopened, drawing visitors keen to see the bears shake off winter. Patrick and Louiza couldn’t wait to stretch their legs and were spotted rolling around playfully in the last patches of snow. Duke dove straight into his pool and stayed there for hours, clearly missing his swims. George went climbing trees for a better look at his surroundings, while Sandy, in classic fashion, took her time and was the last to leave her den. Meanwhile, Mira seemed a little dazed, as if still half-asleep.
Arcturos sanctuary: Protecting Greece’s bears and wildlife
The centre is run by Arcturos, a non-profit that’s been protecting Greek wildlife since 1992. The sanctuary provides a permanent home for bears that can’t return to the wild, whether due to injury or past captivity.
But Arcturos does more than just care for rescued bears. The team is deeply involved in conservation work, habitat protection, and public education — working to safeguard not only bears but also wolves and lynxes native to Greece.
A cold home for Greece’s wild bears
Set in Florina, one of Greece’s coldest regions, the sanctuary sits within dense forests where winter temperatures often fall below -10°C, and have even dipped to a record-breaking -29°C.
Greece is home to around 450 wild brown bears, mostly in the Pindos and Rhodope mountain ranges. But there’s growing evidence that these animals are expanding their territory. Recent bear sightings have been reported in areas like Olympus and Nafpaktia, places where they hadn’t been seen in decades.
For now, though, all eyes are on Nymfeo, where visitors can once again enjoy watching these iconic animals embrace the new season — one paw at a time.
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