Six bears rescued from farms to be sent to Danish sanctuary

Six Asiatic black bears, rescued from South Korean bear farms, are set to be transferred to the Knuthenborg Safari Park in Denmark on June 17. These bears, previously held in facilities for bile extraction, will move to a more suitable environment as South Korea fully prohibits the farming and ownership of bears for bile production starting this year.

The bears are currently housed at the government-run Gu-re Gommaru Shelter. The Knuthenborg Safari Park, Northern Europe's largest safari park, also functions as a sanctuary for animals in need. The six bears, three females and three males aged 11 to 16, were rescued between September and December of last year from farms in Gyeonggi and Chungcheongnam provinces. They had spent their lives in cramped cages.

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The end of industries that exploit animals has repeatedly ended only when the animals have all reached their death, but this time, the government, society, and civic groups have cooperated to strive for measures that can save as many animals as possible.

Animal Freedom Coalition, an animal welfare organization, purchased and rescued these bears through public donations. The bears, named Jinu, Gom-rye, Dajeong, Gom-gu, Tteokgal, and Sarang, were selected based on their ability to withstand the long flight and anesthesia. The organization stated that the transfer was made considering the limited capacity of domestic protection facilities and the animals' welfare.

South Korea's revised Wildlife Protection and Management Act bans bear farming and bile extraction. However, with insufficient facilities, approximately 200 bears remain on farms. While the Gu-re Gommaru Shelter can house up to 49 bears, another facility under construction will accommodate 70. Even with these, over 130 bears still lack adequate shelter, highlighting the need for further protection measures. This international adoption is seen as a collaborative effort between the government, society, and civic groups to save as many bears as possible.

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It is rewarding just to know that bears who lived in poor environments will now live in vast spaces they could never have imagined.