Romania Bear Rescue

Last week I came back from a moving assignment in Romania, home to the largest Eurasian brown bear population in Europe. Together with the fine people of the Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary, my colleagues from WSPA International paid two visits to the defunct zoo at Onesti in northern Romania and helped to remove three bears out of squalid captivity.

It seems that lack of adequate facilities and ultimately, funds, as well as  implemention of the EU zoo directive has meant that this zoo had to part company with some of its bears. An all too common story in Romania, where a multitude of bears have been found suffering in small and rusted cages where they were used as pets or as attractions for restaurants and petrol stations.

Once transferred to the Zarnesti Bear Sanctuary, the new arrivals underwent a veterinary checkup before being released into a training enclosure. With over 160 acres (70 hectares) spread over a wooded hillside, this is Romania's first bear sanctuary and today houses 67 bears rescued from ramshackle zoos and cages at roadside restaurants around the country.

See the story here.

Empty London book now on the iPad !

iPad aficionados, treat yourselves to the release of my book 'empty london' as an ebook!

It's been a long time coming, but finally I've had a spare few hours (and a borrowed iPad) to put this project to bed, so it's out now! A propos bed - this is a good Sunday morning read, costs less than a fiver and is definitely worth it.

Go on then, you know you want it - get it here and let me know how you like it.