Surprise: not three, but two cubs born in De Zonnegloed
The Zonnegloed in Oostvleteren has been a haven for neglected animals for years. More than 135 animal species or more than 400 rescued animals reside there.
Two cubs
On January 18, Ukrainian bear Sandra gave birth to bear cubs. For the caregivers, the delivery arrived unexpectedly, because they did not know she was pregnant.
For a long time, the keepers thought it was three cubs. Once the mother came out of her nest, it soon turned out that they were two cubs, according to the manager of the animal shelter Karel Ackaert.
War zone
In October last year, bear Sandra and her brother Tishka were liberated from a Ukrainian war zone. Both bears come from Mena Zoo in Chernihiv, a city near the Ukrainian capital Kiev.
The bears temporarily stayed in the Bellewaarde amusement park in Ypres, but are now permanently housed in De Zonnegloed. The cubs don’t have a name yet, because the sex can only be determined in a few weeks.