Bear Necessities: Wildlife Park Evacuated After Duo Breaks Free for Sweet Treat
A wildlife park near Exeter was temporarily evacuated after two European brown bears made an unexpected break for freedom, heading straight for the park’s honey supply. The incident at Wildwood Devon, a conservation charity based near Ottery St Mary, saw emergency procedures rapidly deployed to ensure public safety.
The two bears, named Mish and Lucy, reportedly escaped their enclosure on Monday afternoon. Instead of venturing into public areas, the adventurous duo made their way to a staff-only area behind their enclosure, specifically targeting a store cupboard where delicious enrichment items, including honey, are kept.
The Great Honey Raid
According to park officials, the escapees seized the opportunity presented by a “fortuitously left open” honey store. CCTV footage captured the bears helping themselves to the sweet treat, consuming what was estimated to be a “week’s worth of honey” during their brief period of freedom. They were also seen engaging in typical bear behaviour, playing around with ropes in the area.
Mark Habben, director of zoological operations at Wildwood Trust, confirmed the bears were loose for approximately 55 minutes. Despite the potential for a tense situation, staff observing via CCTV noted that the bears remained “very calm throughout” their time outside the enclosure.
Emergency Response and Public Safety
The alarm was raised around 3:00 PM BST on Monday when senior staff spotted the bears outside their designated area. A “code red” – the park’s category one emergency procedure – was immediately declared.
This triggered a rapid evacuation of the park. Visitors and staff were swiftly moved to safety, with around 16 people, including children, secured inside a play barn as a precautionary measure. The park’s emergency team, which includes staff trained in firearms for such contingencies, was deployed. Police were also notified and attended the scene to provide support.
Wildwood Trust officials stressed that the public was never in direct harm’s way, as the bears remained in a staff-only zone. Mark Habben praised the effectiveness of the emergency protocols and the calm actions of both staff and the bears themselves. “Emergency procedures and everyone did the job they were intended to do,” he stated.
Investigation Underway
The trust has launched a full investigation into how Mish and Lucy, described as “young bears” weighing about 180kg (397lb) each, managed to escape. Initial inspections found no obvious signs of damage to their enclosure, leaving park staff surprised.
Jon Forde, head of bears at Wildwood Trust, commented, “We work very hard to make sure these things don’t happen… It’s not a common thing or something we ever want to ever happen again.” However, he added that the bears’ behaviour wasn’t surprising, noting their powerful sense of smell and natural draw towards sweet foods like honey or jam.
Both bears were safely returned to their enclosure. Mish made her own way back, while Lucy was successfully lured using a bell and her favourite foods.
About Mish and Lucy
Mish and Lucy are European brown bears who were rescued together from a snowdrift in the Albanian mountains in 2019. Wildwood Trust has significant experience caring for this species and is known for its conservation work. The pair are described by staff as “extremely charismatic and resilient.”
European brown bears are large carnivores, with adults potentially growing up to 6.5ft (1.9m) long and weighing up to 1,500lbs (680kg). They are known for their strong sense of smell, ability to stand on two legs, and communication methods like marking trees. While still the most widespread brown bear subspecies, they face threats from hunting and human conflict across their range in Europe and Asia. An estimated 110,000 remain in the wild.
Following the incident, Wildwood Devon confirmed via social media that the bear exhibit was secure and thanked visitors and staff for their cooperation. The park reopened as usual the following day. The rare event is a reminder of the challenges involved in managing captive wildlife, although escapes, particularly of larger animals, remain infrequent occurrences in UK parks compared to other incidents reported in recent years, such as monkey or red panda escapes from other zoos.
