In brief
Mish and Lucy, two 5-year-old European brown bears at a Devon wildlife sanctuary, recently escaped their enclosure and made their way to the food supply, consuming a week’s worth of honey in just an hour.
Mish and Lucy, resident brown bears at Wildwood Trust, have been known for their playful nature. However, on a fateful Monday afternoon, the duo decided to embark on an unexpected adventure that left staff at the sanctuary scrambling. Their escape from the enclosure led them to a hidden treasure trove of sweet honey, and they wasted no time in indulging their taste buds, resembling a scene from a classic children’s book.Mark Habben, the director of zoological operations at Wildwood Trust, recalled the moment he received an urgent alert about a “code red” situation at their Devon site while he was four hours away at their Kent facility. Initially suspecting it was a drill, he soon realized it was a real escape scenario. In response, the sanctuary swiftly implemented emergency procedures, ensuring that 16 visitors were safely taken into a secured play area away from the bears. Fortunately, no guests were in immediate danger, and the bears were confined to non-public areas during their honey caper. Their escapade not only drew attention to the cleverness of the bears but also highlighted the swift actions taken by the sanctuary staff to ensure safety amid the chaos.
