He went from 20 years behind bars to THIS ??
Footage from a hidden camera offers the latest glimpse of life for a bear named Napa, whose life drastically changed for the better earlier this year.
The short video shows Napa standing up on his hind legs in his sleeping quarters, delightfully scratching his back on the wall.
This is just one of the pleasures the roughly 20-year-old bear has been afforded since people decided to work together to give him something he probably never even imagined — access to rolling hills, fresh air, trees and sunlight.
Earlier this summer, rescuers from Four Paws International arrived at Napa’s small concrete enclosure.
Napa was the last retired circus bear in Serbia. Born in captivity, Napa stopped performing in circuses in 2009, when the country banned the use of wild animals in circuses. After that, he was waiting for freedom, stuck on concrete behind bars.
But those days finally came to an end.
After nearly 1,000 miles and 28 hours of travel, Napa arrived at his new home in Switzerland — Arosa Bärenland, which has a view of the Swiss Alps.
When Napa saw his new home for the first time, he wore what seemed like an awed expression.
“While we may not know all the details of Napa’s previous life, we do know it involved a small cage, lack of veterinary care, neglect and boredom,” Claire LaFrance, director of communications for Four Paws, told The Dodo at the time. “Now Napa has an appropriate home for a captive-bred bear where he can run, climb and even swim all under breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps.”
Since then, Napa’s initial awe has turned into an inner serenity and comfort with his gorgeous new home.
Visitors to the sanctuary have observed Napa taking dips in his own personal outdoor pool.
Not only has Napa been able to enjoy the luxuries of space to roam and beautiful natural surroundings — he also can rely on expert veterinary care, which is no small gift for a senior bear who has gone through what he has.
The sanctuary even noticed a moment where Napa went up close to a fence to observe his next-door neighbors, a group of cows.
Napa is also making sure to inspect the trees on the property, assessing which ones will provide the best back scratches.
As the weeks and months pass, it’s hard to imagine this beautiful bear in any other setting.
Hopefully Napa will enjoy such luxuries for many more years to come.