A pair of European brown bears at a wildlife park in southwest England caused a brief panic this week after escaping their enclosure, only to be found fast asleep in the honey store after a major snack spree.
The two bears, Mish and Lucy, slipped through a back door that had been accidentally left open while staff were moving vehicles at Wildwood Devon. Though they never entered public areas, their brief adventure prompted an emergency response that included a police firearms unit and a full park evacuation.
With an extraordinary sense of smell—up to 2,000 times stronger than a human’s—the bears quickly sniffed out the kitchen. There, they consumed a fresh delivery of fruits and vegetables intended to last four days, including all the bananas and apples. Their ultimate prize was a stash of honey, where they devoured about a week’s supply before curling up for a nap.
Park staff discovered the siblings sleeping off their feast and safely guided them back to their enclosure. Mish, weighing around 400 pounds, wandered back on his own. Lucy, about 300 pounds, returned after keepers rang a familiar bell used in training.
No injuries were reported, and officials emphasized there was never serious danger, as the bears remained calm throughout.
Mish and Lucy were rescued as cubs from a snowdrift in Albania in 2019. Originally slated for release in Romania, they were ultimately relocated to a specially designed forest enclosure at Wildwood Devon.
Source: NBC