Endangered, 6 Asian Black Bears Born In Jirisan National Park

JAKARTA - Good news comes from the Ministry of Environment and National Park Service of Korea. Those planning to hike in Jirisan National Park this summer may encounter an Asian black bear cub born there this year.

According to Korea's Ministry of Environment and National Park Service, four adult female Asian black bears have given birth to six cubs this year. They confirm the whereabouts of the cubs through cameras installed in and around the bear's hibernation area.

According to the Korea Times, Asian black bears hibernate from around the end of December to March of the following year. Usually they give birth to one or two cubs in January or February in their hibernating nests. The cubs grow rapidly, weighing about three to four kilograms when they emerge from the nest.

So far, one mother bear has given birth to seven cubs, including one born this year and one last year. She lost one leg in 2017 after being caught in a snare, but the disability has not prevented her from caring for her cub in the wild," the Korea National Park Service said.

"Another 18-year-old bear, considered the equivalent of a 70-year-old human, giving birth to cubs at this age is rare. She was released into the wild on Mount Jiri in 2004," the Korea National Park Service said.

Under the recovery project, the Asian black bear is classified as a level one endangered species due to poaching and habitat destruction.

The South Korean government began releasing bears into Jirisan National Park in 2004. It is estimated that at least 74 Asian black bears live in Jirisan and Deogyusan National Parks, including six born this year.

As the bear population grows, more and more hikers are witnessing bears in the wild, which can be dangerous at times. Moreover, ahead of summer, where the national park will be crowded while the bears will be fully active.

The National Park Service advises park visitors to take precautions. Banners advising hikers to exercise caution around key bear habitat. Bear snares that were installed illegally were also cleared in the national park area.

"Visitors to the national park are advised to travel in groups and they should not feed the bears or try to take photos. Visitors are also advised to stay on the paths that have been provided," said the National Park Service.

In addition, local residents are also provided with a bear attack deterrent. In a recent case, a bear was reported to have entered a chicken coop in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, but the bear had already left the scene by the time the animal inspectors arrived.

To note, the Asian black bear has a number of subspecies, namely the Formosan black bear whose habitat is in Taiwan; the pakistani black bear in southern Balochistan; Japanese black bears on Honshu and Shikoku Islands; Himalayan black bears in the Kashmir, Sikkim and Himalayan regions; Indochinese black bears in Assam, Nepal, Myanmar, Mergui, Thailand and Annam and the largest is the Ussuri black bear which is distributed in southern Siberia, northern China and the Korean peninsula.