The world’s loneliest bear that was moved to an Alpine Paradise and enjoyed the first natural winter sleep in her life where she was even introduced to a male bear friend in the spring of this year has died during a sterilisation operation.
Staff at the Arosa Bear Land located in the Swiss Alps said they are devastated at the news and grateful that, if only for a few short, brief months, Jambolina had a taste of the life that she was denied for the first decade of existence.
According to the Arosa Bear Land where Jambolina lived after she was rescued from a circus in Ukraine, the female bear was due to be sterilised and at the same time was in need of a dental restoration which was planned to be carried out by an experienced team of wildlife vets on 5th August.
The routine intervention was intended to enable Jambolina to live a species-appropriate and painless life and spend many happy years in the sanctuary.
However, Jambolina died shortly before the operation despite all resuscitation attempts. The team said she had simply stopped breathing after she received an anaesthetic injection shot on Thursday.
An autopsy, which is about to take place in the Swiss city of Zurich, should provide further information about any previous illnesses that Jambolina possibly suffered of that might explain her sudden death.
The 12-year-old bear was rescued from a Ukrainian circus and sent on a 2,400 km (1,500 miles) journey from her previous home to the Arosa Bear Land in Switzerland by animal rights organisation Four Paws in December 2020.
Jambolina was nervous and scared when she arrived after years of being tortured and forced to perform for the crowds, while being kept alone in a tiny cage ever since she was a cub, but as these video showed had quickly adjusted to her new home.
After waking up from her winter sleep, the first that she had ever been able to enjoy in her life, she seemed energetic and ready to socialise and enjoy the Alpine paradise in May 2021.
Archive Story: Worlds Loneliest Bear Wakes Up From First Ever Winter Sleep In New Alpine Paradise Home
She was also seen with another bear, a male, that was introduced to her enclosure and they were seen playing together and clearly enjoying each other’s company.
Meimo, her male pal, had been residing in the same sanctuary ever since he was rescued from captivity from the Albanian city of Shkodra on 1st February 2019.
Scientific director of the Arosa Bear Land Dr Hans Schmid said despite Jambolina’s shyness at first, it took only a few minutes for the two of them to bond and engage in a bear fight which corresponds to the natural behaviour of brown bears (Ursus arctos).
After their combat, Jambolina laid on her back which according to experts meant she felt comfortable with the new situation in the two bears then treated themselves to a bath in her Paul.
The Arosa Bear Land reported with a heavy heart that they are grateful for the wonderful months that Jambolina was able to spend with them and were saddened she was not granted more.
Bears Jambolina and Meimo getting to know each other in the Arosa Bear Sanctuary in Switzerland. 
Brown bear Jambolina enjoys being outdoors at the Arosa Bear Sanctuary.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Georgina Jadikovska, Sub-Editor: James King, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
