Rescued former circus bear for traveling from Ukraine to a Romanian asylum was left clogged by Putin’s invasion.
The Eurasian brown bear Masha is being cared for in a temporary shelter in Sambir, south of Lviv, in western Ukraine.
This week, she was to be transported 140 miles south to the Romanian border and to a new life at the Liberty Bear Sanctuary in the country.
But the build-up of Russian troops closed the borders before the invasion began on Thursday.
And now Masha, who spent 19 years of her life in a small cell and performing in circuses, can not reach her well-deserved retirement.
Despite the growing threat from the Warriors of Wildlife charity, Lionel de Lange flew to Ukraine from his native South Africa on Tuesday last week to watch Masha’s rescue.
Lionel has lived in Ukraine for the past 11 years, rescuing bears and big cats from captivity and transporting them to a better life in shelters in Europe and South Africa.
With the outbreak of war, Lionel was forced to evacuate from his home in Kherson in southern Ukraine near the border with Russian-occupied Crimea. He managed to travel 100 miles to Odessa and cross the border into Moldova.
Masha the bear when she arrived at her temporary rescue home in Ukraine in 2018
Masha the bear in a cage where she was kept when she was made to play in a circus
Masha the bear when she was forced to play in a circus and ride a tricycle on stage
But incredibly, despite the danger, Lionel says he will return to Ukraine as soon as the borders are opened to bring Masha, now 22, to her new home.
Speaking from a hotel in Romania, Lionel, 56, said Masha has a lot of food and takes good care of it.
He said: “Putin’s insane invasion of Ukraine has stopped Masha from starting her new life in an asylum.
“But this little tin dictator has something else to do if he thinks we will abandon her.
“The brave Ukrainian people who take care of her will protect her and she has a lot of food and shelter.
“Masha is a Ukrainian bear and she has been through a lot, and if Putin thinks the Russian bear is tough, he needs to see the life he has had.
“Like the Ukrainian people, she will not give up and we will not refuse to take her to a shelter where she can enjoy her last years.
“Monday was her birthday and she had to be moved to start a new life, but because of Putin, everything is gone.”
Masha the bear on Monday in a temporary shelter in Sambir, south of Lviv, in western Ukraine
Masha the bear had to be transported 140 miles south to the Romanian border and to a new life
Lionel, whose wife Anya is Ukrainian, said he did not think Russia would be so stupid as to invade Ukraine and that Masha’s relocation would be normal this week.
He said: “Everyone was ready to go, all her documents were ready and we were going to start moving her.
“Under EU law, Masha’s vehicle was supposed to come from a European country, but the borders are now closed so they can’t enter.
“Refugees can escape, but Masha cannot go with them without permission.
“It is 140 miles north of the Romanian border, but only 24 miles east of Poland, and if we can get it into Poland, we can get it south.
“We have travel permits valid until May 20, and as soon as the borders open, I will return and pick it up on a vehicle registered in the European Union and spend it.”
Arriving in Ukraine on Tuesday last week, Lionel said he felt guilty after leaving home.
He said: “Last night I was lying in bed at my hotel and I felt guilty because I left, I left friends in a place that has been my home for the last 11 years.
“When the war started, I thought, will I go to fight for Ukraine? What can I do? They didn’t want to give me a weapon, but I felt so guilty that I left.
“Anya’s grandparents are still there, but they didn’t want to leave.
“Putin does not realize that even if he overthrows the Ukrainian government and introduces a puppet regime, he will still have a hell of a battle in his hands.
“The patriotism and love of the Ukrainian people for their country and the hatred they feel for Putin mean that there will be battles every step of the way, there will be battles in the streets and Ukrainians will never give up.
“The people of Ukraine will bite Russia’s heels all day long as this insane war continues.”
Warriors of Wildlife (WoW) has saved dozens of bears, big cats and other animals from private captivity and circuses in Ukraine.
The charity is taking rescued lions and other big cats to their Simbonga shrine near Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The bears have been moved elsewhere to shrines in Europe.
To donate to the rescue of Masha and others, visit the charity’s website: https://www.wowukraine.org/