Bear Breakout Ends in Honey-Fueled Nap You Won't Believe What Happened!

Bear-ly Believable: Mish and Lucy's Honey-Fueled Adventure at Wildwood Devon

Talk about a Monday to remember! Two young brown bears named Mish and Lucy, residents of Wildwood Devon in southwestern England, decided to take a brief, unscheduled detour from their enclosure, leading to a hilarious, albeit slightly concerning, escapade. The four-year-old duo managed to break free on Monday afternoon, initiating an hour-long drama that ended with full bellies and a well-deserved nap.

But where did these mischievous bears head first? Straight to the pantry, of course! According to a statement released by the park, Mish and Lucy made a beeline for the food store, where they proceeded to indulge in a feast, the highlight of which was a seven-day supply of honey. A video released by the park showed Lucy, in particular, looking "very pleased with herself" as she devoured the sweet treat.

Here's a quick rundown of the bear break-out:

• The Escape: Mish and Lucy escaped their enclosure at Wildwood Devon on Monday afternoon.
• Honey Heist: They devoured a week's worth of honey and other snacks from the food store.
• Safety First: Visitors were escorted to a secure building as a precaution.
• Monitoring: The bears were continuously monitored via CCTV and on the ground.
• Recall Success: Keepers used recall training to guide the bears back to their enclosure.
• Nap Time: The bears promptly fell asleep after returning to their enclosure.

While the incident understandably caused some concern, Wildwood Devon was quick to reassure the public that the bears "posed no threat to the public at any point." Visitors on-site were safely escorted to a secure building as a precautionary measure, while the park's experienced keeping team sprang into action.

The park emphasized that their team "acted immediately, following established safety protocols, and successfully used recall training to encourage both bears back into their enclosure without the need for any intervention." It appears that Mish and Lucy, despite their brief rebellion, were ultimately quite cooperative, or perhaps just too full of honey to put up a fight!

Authorities were on the scene, and an investigation is now underway to determine exactly how the bears managed to escape. Wildwood Devon has stated that an "operational error" was to blame, although further details have not been released. The park has emphasized that the "structural integrity of the bear enclosure remains uncompromised" and that they are taking the incident very seriously.

The park stated on social media that "This was an isolated incident, and we are conducting a full internal investigation to understand exactly how it happened and to ensure robust measures are in place to prevent a reoccurrence... while the structural integrity of the bear enclosure remains uncompromised, we take any operational lapse extremely seriously."

Wildwood Devon, spanning 40 acres of gardens and woodland, is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including brown bears, wolves, and arctic foxes. The park provides a sanctuary for these animals, and this incident serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and robust safety measures in wildlife conservation efforts.

Ultimately, Mish and Lucy's honey-fueled adventure serves as a lighthearted reminder of the intelligence and curiosity of these magnificent creatures. While the escape was undoubtedly a stressful situation for the park staff, the successful resolution and the bears' safe return highlight the dedication and expertise of the Wildwood Devon team. Let's hope Mish and Lucy stick to their designated meal plan from now on, though perhaps a little extra honey as a reward for their brief moment of notoriety wouldn't hurt!

Tags: escaped bears, UK wildlife, Wildwood Devon, bear escape, Mish and Lucy, honey theft, bear cubs, wildlife park, England, bear enclosure

Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bears-escape-wildlife-park-enclosure-eat-honey-fall-asleep/