In the Mountains of Romania

IN THIS BEAUTIFUL PHOTO-SERIES, DISCOVER THE BEARS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN A NEW LEASE OF LIFE IN THE CARPATHIAN MOUNTAINS.

Image: Rosie Dutton

When you think of bears, what is the first thing that comes to mind? I envision brown bears prowling within deep forest, munching on berries, catching fish and lazing in the sun. For me, the brown bear is the bear of fairy-tales. These bears have walked alongside us in history; it is part of many of our stories and legends and for many of us they are even part our childhoods. Teddy bears are popular toys gifted to children to this day – I still hold dearly onto my first teddy bear; a shaggy brown bear wearing a coat knitted by my grandma. Yet the real bears are quite different to the cuddly toys.

To encounter one is to experience a moment of magic.

When seen, the bear will hold in you its gaze with golden eyes, like liquid pools of honey. The eyes speak of ancient legends and you remain still; transfixed – enchanted by its spell. Then the bear moves, and you watch as it melts into the shadows of the wood, still mesmerised.

Image: Rosie Dutton

The Brown bear (Ursus arctos) is often used as a collective term; it is a species of bear that is found across Eurasia and North America. In North America, populations of brown bears are often known as ‘grizzly bears’. Although the population of the species as a whole is healthy, localised populations of Brown bear are highly endangered or under threat, such as in the case of those living in Romania.

Outside of Russia, the Carpathian brown bear population in Romania is the largest in Europe, with an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 bears. However, it is believed this population is in rapid decline due to human exploitation.

For many years, the Carpathian brown bear has been hunted, made to dance in the streets, forced to cycle in circus performances and beg outside of hotels. Often kept in cramp, dirty cages, these bears are often beaten and abused for human gain.

Image: Rosie Dutton

In 2017, Rosie Dutton ventured across Europe to document the Carpathian bears for her final year photography portfolio. Born and bred in Leeds, Dutton is a graduate from Marine and Natural History Photography at Falmouth University, Cornwall. It was here where she found her love of wildlife photography and filmmaking.

During her final year at Falmouth, Dutton knew she wanted to create a piece of work that would have an impact;

‘I wanted to create something I could be proud of for years to come, something that would act as a standalone portfolio.’ She states, ‘I have always had a love and fascination for bears. We don’t often see them, and they are quite secretive given their size. So, I went online and researched bear projects, found Oyster Worldwide and never looked back.’

Image: Rosie Dutton

Image: Rosie Dutton

Dutton booked her trip out to Libearty Bear Sanctuary for a month through Oyster Worldwide, a travel and gap year organisation. The sanctuary is nestled in the forests of central Transylvania and was opened in 2006. It is home to over 100 resident bears, all of which are rescues. They try and imitate an environment as close to the wild as possible, providing the bears a home in which they can live out their days in peace and comfort.

‘Something really important to me was that I was also giving something back into the project. So, I was not just photographing and filming the bears, but I was helping to monitor and feed them too!’

Working in such proximity to the bears, Dutton was able to capture some incredible images – from siblings playing, splashing in the pools and even bears taking their first tree climb. She got to know their personalities, their stories and just how the sanctuary saved them.

Image: Rosie Dutton

Maria. Image: Rosie Dutton

‘While we think of bears as huge, tough animals that are often depicted as mindless killers, these creatures bore the scars of their past. One bear, Max, a huge dark brown bear, looked strong and very much alive. But in fact, he was totally blind. His keepers before he arrived at the sanctuary had stuck needles in his eyes so that he would not react to the camera flashes of tourists whilst he performed outside of Dracula’s castle.

Another bear, Maria, would pace every morning in a square that resembled the size of her old enclosure before being rescued, but still her mental wellbeing will never return after what she was put through. And there was Betsy, an older girl. She had been fed her entire life on fast food when the person could be bothered to feed her.  After this her stomach eroded. The bit that is left has been treated and she is now on a special diet.

Betsy. Image: Rosie Dutton

The truth of it is that these animals can be broken and have been broken. But the Libearty Sanctuary is giving them a second chance to be a wild bear – something they have never experienced before. And seeing these bears here, it’s enough to warm and fill anyone’s heart with hope!’

The Libearty Bear sanctuary, as well as offering a home to rescues, hosts school visits to educate the future generation about bears and importance of safeguarding them from exploitation. Through developing these outreach programs and bringing an awareness to the issue, there is hope for the bears of Romania. It is down to the efforts of sanctuaries such as Libearty Bear that these animals will not be lost, living only in our fairy-tales and myths, but they will thrive again - in the forests and the mountains, lazing in the sun amongst the trees and wildflowers.

Image: Rosie Dutton

Dutton produced a book and a film titled ‘The Bears of Carpathian’, which consequently led her to producing a series of films for Oyster Worldwide in Portugal and South Africa. She has also created film footage for ‘Be the Uproar’, a global mobile focused media platform, and RSPB where she produced a film about Fairburn nature reserve.

Since graduating, Dutton now works for the RSPB as a membership fundraiser where she speaks to members of the public about conservation work. She is also regular contributor to Adventure She magazine where she writes frequently about her experience with wildlife photography and filmmaking, as well as what it is like to be a woman within this industry.
You can find more of her work here

Rosie Brown is a writer and photographer based in North Cornwall. You can find more of her work here.