Bears eat week’s worth of honey after escape from Devon enclosure

On Monday, two European brown bears, named Mish and Lucy, managed to escape from their enclosure at the Wildwood Devon wildlife park, located near Ottery St Mary, Devon. The bears took advantage of their brief freedom by heading straight for a picnic area, where they consumed a week's worth of honey from the park's food supplies. The incident prompted the park to take immediate action, ensuring the safety of its visitors by escorting them to a secure building as a precautionary measure. The wildlife park emphasized that there was no danger posed to the public during the bears' escapade. Both bears, who are five years old and were rescued from a snow drift in Albania in 2019, were continuously monitored throughout the incident, both on the ground and through CCTV surveillance, until they returned to their enclosure without any further issues.

The park's staff worked diligently to ensure a safe resolution to the situation, with police also attending the scene as part of standard protocol. Mish eventually found his way back to the enclosure on his own, while Lucy was successfully lured back using a bell and her favorite treats. The average weight of a male European brown bear ranges between 350kg to 500kg, with some individuals reaching up to 650kg, while females typically weigh between 150kg and 300kg. The park reassured the public that the bear exhibit is secure and expressed gratitude to both staff and visitors for their cooperation, which facilitated a swift and safe resolution to the unexpected incident. An investigation is currently underway to determine the circumstances that led to the bears' escape, ensuring that such events can be prevented in the future.