Bears Escape Wildlife Park Enclosure, Feast on Week’s Worth of Honey
Mish and Lucy, two 5-year-old European brown bears at Wildwood Devon wildlife park in southwestern England, escaped their enclosure on Monday afternoon. The bears, known for their playful behavior, managed to access a staff-only food storage area and feasted on a week’s worth of honey and snacks before returning to their enclosure. The incident, which was classified as an ‘operational error,’ led to the involvement of local police and prompted the wildlife park to initiate a full internal investigation. Visitors were temporarily moved into a secure building for safety, with the park emphasizing that the structural integrity of the enclosure remained intact. The park has since posted footage of the bears’ escapade online, showing Lucy ‘caught red-handed’ enjoying the feast.
The wildlife park’s Facebook post revealed that the bears were not a threat to the public, but visitors were relocated as a precaution. The incident, which sparked a police response, was described as a result of an internal operational lapse, prompting Wildwood Devon to emphasize their commitment to animal care and visitor safety. The park has stated that while the enclosure’s structure remains undamaged, the incident has raised concerns about the security measures in place. The park is now conducting a thorough investigation to prevent such occurrences in the future.
In addition to Mish and Lucy, Wildwood Devon is home to a variety of animals, including foxes, wolves, red squirrels, and bears. The park, located on 40 acres of woodland and gardens in Devon, England, has faced similar incidents in the past, such as the 2023 escape of an Andean bear from the St. Louis Zoo, which managed to break out by tearing through clips on its enclosure’s door. While the current incident at Wildwood Devon has not caused any serious harm, the park has emphasized the importance of continuous improvement in their security protocols. The wildlife park and Devon and Cornwall Police did not immediately respond to inquiries for further details.