Bear Sindi († 2022)
Liked to observe the visitors
Gift for the National Horticultural Show
Brown bear Sindi and her two brothers Lothar and Torgi were born in 1990 in Torgau. That same year, they were given as a gift to the National Horticultural Show in Sindelfingen in Baden-Württemberg (Germany) and were kept in a cage in the petting zoo of the flower show. Throughout the summer months, they served as favourite attraction to visitors. Nevertheless, a state garden show only lasts for a few months. So the question was where would the the young bears go after the flower show ended?
The Black Forest Park Löffingen took the three little bears in, however, the enclosure they had was very small, surrounded by walls, and was equipped with a concrete floor. The poor bears were thus never able to live according to their natural behaviour. For Torgi the time in the Black Forest Park Löffingen ended with a tragic incident. He was suspected of having cut a girl's finger and was therefore killed at the age of about three years.
Lothar and Sindi were the first bears at our sanctuary.
First residents of BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz
In 2005 FOUR PAWS became aware of Sindi and Lothar, while at the same time, the owners of the Black Forest Park Löffingen were looking for new accommodations for the two bears. It was quickly agreed that BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz could offer both bears a far better life and a species-appropriate home.
Soon after that, both bears were transferred to BEAR SANCTUARY Müritz. As the first residents of the sanctuary, which was opened with their arrival in October 2006, the two bears have a very special meaning to the sanctuary team.
Sindi enjoyed roaming through the woods.
After Lothar passed away in April 2019, it was evident through her behaviour that Sindi could feel the loss of her brother. As they had spent their entire lives together, it was very hard for Sindi to adjust to her brother's absence. Soon after, the team made the decision to socialize Sindi with the bears Mary and Clara and in June 2019, she began sharing her large enclosure with them.
Sindi was euthanized in 2022 after osteoarthritis and multiple herniated discs left her unable to walk.
Facts about Sindi
- I came from: Black Forest Park Löffingen
- I liked to eat: tomatoes and nuts
- I was: the first bear lady that came to the sanctuary
- What the caretakers said about me: Sindi was very curious and always wanted to keep an eye on what's going on around her. She liked observing the visitors at the sanctuary, looked over to the fishes in the ponds next to her enclosure and didn't miss the chance to observe the arborists when they were examining the forest.