xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Bulgaria has the largest bear conservation area in the whole of Europe. It is a sanctuary for rescued dancing bears and it is situated in the Rila Mountains in the Belitsa area which is closeby Blagoevgrad to the south of Sofia. The Park in Belitsa provides a safe and secure home for these traumatised animals

and luckily the work of the Austrian association (Vier Pfoten)"Four Paws", the founders of this sanctuary was further aided by the input of the "Foundation Bridgette Bardot" in May 2002 which helped to finance the project. It covers an area of some 120,000 sqm in which 20 rescued bears now live.