Update on Miracle

[Jeanette McDermott]

There are no photos of Miracle or the actual cage from which she escaped in Korea. But Miracle looks much like this bear, and she escaped from a cage like this. Photo courtesy of Animals Asia Foundation

Escaped Moon Bear in Danger
from a Press Release submitted by moonbears.org

Nearly 2,000 Asiatic black bears are locked in tiny cages on wretched bile farms in Korea, where they are tortured daily for their bile. One bear got away.

The fate of “Miracle,” a female Asiatic Black Bear (Moon Bear) that miraculously escaped from a Whacheun Province bear bile farm in September, 2007, is currently being deliberated by Wonju District officials as the government steps up its efforts to capture the bear that has been long on the lam.

Unless officials decide otherwise, Miracle will be returned upon capture to a body-sized metal cage like the one from which she escaped, at the same bile farm where she lived in hell before escaping. This is a fate worse than death. We can't let this happen.

Poorly adapted to living in the wild, Miracle has so far managed to survive while wandering the Chuncheun border region by feeding from farmers’ crops.

Miracle had been deemed a potential threat to tourists, and orders had been given to kill her on sight until June 1st, 2009, when the “kill-on-sight” order was retracted and Wonju Office Officials began debating how to manage the bear.

Citizens of Wonju argue that the bear ought to be captured and re-introduced into the Wonju wilderness after research concerning her health status, behaviour, and genealogy are conducted. As a captivity-bred individual, Miracle is significant in that she has successfully introduced herself into a wilderness despite a lack of survival skills education, which would have occurred had she been raised by her mother in the wild.

At this time, it is uncertain whether Miracle can be reintroduced into Korea’s Jirisan National Park because the presence of hybrids is seen as dangerous to the preservation of pure breeds. Until the appropriate research is completed, it is unknown whether Miracle is a hybrid or a pure Asiatic Black Bear.

There is no suitable sanctuary or rescue centre for mixed-breed bears in Korea. If Miracle proves to be a hybrid, options for Miracle may include: granting the wish of the Wonju villagers to release her deeper in the wild, temporary placement in a zoo or a private location on farmland where she would be protected from hunters.

The Asiatic Black Bear, or “Moon Bear” named for its distinctive crescent-shaped marking on the chest, is a protected species in Korea. Only eleven (11) moon bears reside in the Korean wild, while an astounding 1600 are barely living under the torturous conditions of bear bile farms in Korea, where they are kept in hideous crush cages from an early age and “milked” for their bile through an excruciatingly painful, and often deadly, procedure, in support of the black market bear bile trade.

Ursodeoxycholic acid, or “UDCA,” is the prized ingredient in bear bile and is used in traditional Chinese medicine and other commercial products such as bear bile wine. There is a misguided Asian belief that bear bile makes men virile and cures everything from hangovers to hemorrhoids.

There are 54 known herbal alternatives to UDCA, all of which are acknowledged by the scientific community. Nevertheless, bear bile farming continues in Korea, China, and Vietnam. Black markets in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore help fuel the trade for bile products and bear parts and viscera.

Tell Miracle’s story. By telling the miraculous tale of the bear who got away, you make people aware of a practice they probably didn’t know existed, and you inspire and motivate others to get involved in saving a life.

You can help save Miracle. Tell her story!

You can also click on the hyperlink to obtain addresses to write to Korean government officials. Write to them and encourage them to do the right thing.

[Qian Zheng Yi]

Re-posting...

[Jeanette McDermott]

One for all and all for One! We'll do it.

[Kelly Frances (McKenna)]

Thank you Jeanette-every letter counts-let your voice be heard! The front page looks great. I know we can do this for this ONE bear, and in time, for them all.

Much love

kelly