Inside South Korea's defunct bear farms where malnourished animals bred in captivity sit in rusty cages on beds of faeces just waiting to die
- Although bear farming has been illegal in South Korea since 1992, more than 300 bears remain in captivity
- PhD student Joshua Powell visited a former bear bile farm in Gangwon-do and said it was 'fairly horrific'
- Powell was invited by Project Moon Bear, an organisation trying to help the bears which remain in captivity
Full Answer
Are there any black bears in South Korea?
Since the 1990s, South Korea has cracked down on the bear part trade, but the remaining population of around 380 captive bears still substantially outnumbers those in the wild ( around 70 in 2021 ). A captive Asiatic black bear on a disused bear bile farm in Gangwon-do, South Korea. Joshua Powell, Author provided
Can South Korea restore its native bear population?
In South Korea, a country of similar size and similar human population density to England, conservationists are in the process of restoring the native bear population, Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, to be precise.
Can Moon bears be restored in Korea?
In South Korea, a country of similar size and similar human population density to England, conservationists are in the process of restoring the native bear population, Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ), or moon bears, to be precise.
What happened to the bear bile industry?
South Korea announces an end to bear bile farming The 26th of January 2022 is a landmark day for hundreds of bears held captive in South Korea’s archaic and cruel bear bile industry.
How many bears are there in South Korea?
How did captive breeding help bears?
Why are bears kept in pens?
Where is Jirisan National Park?
Where did farm bears come from?
When did wolves return to Yellowstone?
Is the red fox rare in South Korea?
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From Cinderella to a famous football star kids love getting creative and dressing up their new friend. Costa Bear Marbella even has all of the extras like shoes, bags and hats to accessorize your build a bear. Hours: Wednesday to Friday 2:00pm to 8:00pm. Saturdays 10:00am to 6:00pm.
How many bears are there in South Korea?
Since the 1990s, South Korea has cracked down on the bear part trade, but the remaining population of around 380 captive bears still substantially outnumbers those in the wild ( around 70 in 2021 ).
Why are bears kept in pens?
Soft releases, in which bears are kept in pens to acclimate to their surroundings before being set free, and extensive monitoring of bears post-release, helped increase the likelihood of each released bear surviving. Bears that strayed too far were returned to the national park.
How did captive breeding help bears?
Bears injured by snares or traffic collisions have also been successfully rescued, treated and returned to the wild.
Where is Jirisan National Park?
I wanted to find out how South Korea is managing this ambitious project, so I travelled to Jirisan National Park, a mountainous region in the far south of the Korean Peninsula.
Where did farm bears come from?
Years of being fed by humans also meant that the bears could seek out contact – which could lead to conflict – with humans. Instead, bears were imported from China, Russia and North Korea. In 2004, the first six cubs were released into Jirisan.
Is there a bear in South Korea?
In South Korea, a country of similar size and similar human population density to England, conservationists are in the process of restoring the native bear population, Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ), or moon bears, to be precise. While slightly smaller than their North American cousins, these are still large wild animals, capable of causing fear and alarm and posing a risk to humans and their property.
When did wolves return to Yellowstone?
The return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 popularised the idea of reintroducing long-lost species to modern habitats. While scientists are still trying to fully understand the ecological consequences, the wolf’s reintroduction likely benefited other species, illustrating how conservation can not just slow biodiversity loss, but even reverse it.
What was the last black bear in South Korea?
By the 1990s, along with occasional sightings in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Jirisan had become the last foothold of the Asiatic black bear in South Korea. An attempted eradication program by the colonial Japanese regime of the early 20th century and overhunting following independence in 1945 meant bears had fared badly for some time. At the close of the century, there were thought to be just five wild bears left in the country, and the species was on the brink of extinction in South Korea.
How many bears are there in South Korea?
Since the 1990s, South Korea has cracked down on the bear part trade, but the remaining population of around 380 captive bears still substantially outnumbers those in the wild ( around 70 in 2021 ).
Why are bears kept in pens?
Soft releases, in which bears are kept in pens to acclimate to their surroundings before being set free, and extensive monitoring of bears post-release, helped increase the likelihood of each released bear surviving. Bears that strayed too far were returned to the national park.
How did captive breeding help bears?
Captive breeding, underpinned by impressive veterinary expertise, has also helped the population grow. One milestone involved the world's first successful use of artificial insemination in this genus of bear, a boon for maintaining genetic diversity in a small population. Bears injured by snares or traffic collisions have also been successfully returned to the wild.
When did wolves return to Yellowstone?
The return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 popularized the idea of reintroducing long-lost species to modern habitats. While scientists are still trying to fully understand the ecological consequences, the wolf's reintroduction likely benefited other species, illustrating how conservation can not just slow biodiversity loss, but even reverse it.
Is there a bear in South Korea?
In South Korea, a country of similar size and similar human population density to England, conservationists are in the process of restoring the native bear population, Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, to be precise. While slightly smaller than their North American cousins, these are still large wild animals, capable of causing fear and alarm and posing a risk to human life and property.
Together with Green Korea United (GKU), World Animal Protection lobbied the South Korean government to amend the Wildlife Protection and Management Act to introduce stricter penalties for aggravated (repeated) wildlife offences, including illegally breeding bears for their bile
"It is time for the government to produce a plan to finally put an end to the cruel bear bile farming industry in Korea."
Meet Tu Do: her rescue just ended bear bile in Son La province, Vietnam
Tu Do, the bear, was voluntarily surrendered by her owner to a sanctuary after World Animal Protection negotiations.
Success! South Korea announces an end to bear bile farming
The 26th of January 2022 is a landmark day for hundreds of bears held captive in South Korea’s archaic and cruel bear bile industry.
How many bears are there in South Korea?
Since the 1990s, South Korea has cracked down on the bear part trade, but the remaining population of around 380 captive bears still substantially outnumbers those in the wild ( around 70 in 2021 ).
How did captive breeding help bears?
Captive breeding, underpinned by impressive veterinary expertise, has also helped the population grow. One milestone involved the world’s first successful use of artificial insemination in this genus of bear, a boon for maintaining genetic diversity in a small population. Bears injured by snares or traffic collisions have also been successfully returned to the wild.
Why are bears kept in pens?
Soft releases, in which bears are kept in pens to acclimate to their surroundings before being set free, and extensive monitoring of bears post-release, helped increase the likelihood of each released bear surviving. Bears that strayed too far were returned to the national park.
Where is Jirisan National Park?
I wanted to find out how South Korea is managing this ambitious project, so I travelled to Jirisan National Park, a mountainous region in the far south of the Korean Peninsula.
Where did farm bears come from?
Years of being fed by humans also meant that the bears could seek out contact – and cause conflict – with humans. Instead, bears were imported from China, Russia and North Korea. In 2004, the first six cubs were released into Jirisan.
When did wolves return to Yellowstone?
The return of wolves to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 popularised the idea of reintroducing long-lost species to modern habitats. While scientists are still trying to fully understand the ecological consequences, the wolf’s reintroduction likely benefited other species, illustrating how conservation can not just slow biodiversity loss, but even reverse it.
Is the red fox rare in South Korea?
And Asiatic black bears are just the start. South Korea has since established programmes to restore the red fox, which is surprisingly rare in the country, and the long-tailed goral, a goat-like mammal whose populations have been depleted by poaching and habitat loss.
