In May, our international ambassador, actress Evanna Lynch, visited our partner bear sanctuary in Romania (AMP) to catch up with our long-standing partners and the lovely bears
Evanna and the bears
Evanna first joined us on a visit to the sanctuary back in 2015. She was deeply moved by the stories of some of the bears who had suffered for years trapped in small cages, kept as pets, or used as entertainment to earn money for their owners. Our work to help bears and the sanctuary have remained close to Evanna’s heart ever since.
Following her first visit Evanna was given the opportunity to name one of the rescued bears at the sanctuary. She chose the beautiful name Ciere (pronounced Sea-air). Ciere was brought to the sanctuary at just two-years-old after she was found wandering the streets of the small town of Ploiești, about an hour north of Bucharest. Once rescued, Ciere couldn’t be returned to the wild as she’d become too accustomed to people and would endanger herself if left to roam. She now lives a peaceful life at the sanctuary, spending much of her time foraging, and more recently, with the other bears.
The name Ciere is of Celtic origin, Evanna came across the name in a science fiction novel about a young, curious and free-spirited girl. Evanna felt this bear truly represented the character from the novel after learning about the bear’s inquisitive nature and free-spirit.
An amazing ambassador
A dedicated vegan, Evanna is passionate about inspiring a kind, safe and respectful world for all animals. As with all our high-profile supporters we deeply value and appreciate the time, heart, and energy that Evanna shares with us. She supports several tremendous causes, and this often means adjusting and adding to an already pressured work schedule, putting personal projects on hold, and sacrificing down time. We’ll never take this kind of support for granted.
During the winter, the sanctuary is often covered in snow and many of the bears have spent so long in cages that they don’t know how to hibernate. This means that the sanctuary staff must provide around the clock care and food. Thankfully, it was a sunny, warm spring day when Evanna arrived in May. She was lucky enough to see many of the beautiful bears out and about foraging, sun-bathing, and cooling off in the water pool, and she even caught a glimpse of Ciere which was a special moment.
Moving forward
We are often amazed by the commitment, passion, and drive that our high-profile supporters display when they seek to get involved in our work and use their platforms to help animals.
Not many people will get to visit this sanctuary in Romania, but hopefully, because of Evanna’s trip, thousands will be able to experience what a special place it is.
Want to get involved in our work to protect bears and other wildlife? Check out our wildlife page.