Five Asian Black Bears Escape from Yongin Breeding Farm... "Tracking 2 Bears"

One Animal Escaped in July as Well

Asian black bear. Not related to the article.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Five Asiatic black bears escaped from a bear breeding farm in Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province. It is known that one Asiatic black bear had also escaped from the same farm in July.

Yongin Eastern Police Station announced on the 22nd that a report was received around 10:30 a.m. about five Asiatic black bears disappearing from a bear breeding farm in Idong-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si.

The farm reportedly bred a total of 16 bears, and it is presumed that the bears escaped through a gap when the breeding facility's door was left open.

After the bears escaped, Yongin City deployed hunters and search dogs, capturing two of the five escaped bears alive and shooting one. Yongin City and the Pest Wildlife Damage Prevention Team are tracking the remaining two bears that have not yet been found.

Previously, in July, two Asiatic black bears escaped from the same farm. At that time, the farm owner was arrested on charges including obstruction of official duties and violation of the Animal Protection Act for falsely reporting that two bears had escaped when only one had escaped, in an attempt to conceal illegal slaughter activities.

With the farm owner detained, it is known that there has been no resident manager at the farm since then.