The main purpose of housing the bear in Vlahi is educational. The visitors of the Large Carnivore Education Centre which opened in Spring 2007, will have the chance to see a bear in semi natural environment and to observe behaviour close to the natural. People learn more about bears in the wild and the real needs of conserving the species. People receive information about the purpose of having the bear there and about the LC centre. School groups which visit Medo, have special lectures about bears in the wild. Local people accept the bear very positively with big interest and Medo often receives gifts like a big bag with apples (or other fruits), cabbage, tomatoes, etc. The Balkani Wildlife Society (BWS) team is very happy to see that, as it is very important for Medo’s long term stay in the village.

In April 2014 bear Medo got a new neighbour: bear Buya from Kormisosh! Bears in Mind helped BWS financially to build a new enclosure for Buya. Once it was finished and all permits were in, Buya moved out of Kormisosh to her new home in Vlahi.

Unfortunately, due to the rough economic situation in Bulgaria over the past years and more specifically within NGOs like BWS, funds quickly dried up and the bears could no longer be kept in Vlahi. After Bears in Mind funded their care for another year, it was decided to find a new and safe home for Medo & Buya. In 2019 both bears were relocated to a new home in Northern Italy.