Endangered Asiatic black bear found in DMZ

Asiatic black bear has been found living in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas, the government confirmed Wednesday. / Courtesy of Ministry of Environment

By Kim Jae-heun

An Asiatic black bear has been found living in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas, the government confirmed Wednesday.

The Ministry of Environment and the National Institute of Ecology said they captured a picture of the bear, classified as level-one endangered species, through cameras installed in the DMZ.

The institute has installed 92 cameras there since 2014 to conduct ecological research in the area, and one Asiatic black bear was spotted in the eastern part of the zone last October. The military sent the picture to the institute in March after reviewing security issues.

“So far there had only been an eyewitness account from a soldier that he saw the animal and unclear footage of what seemed to be an Asiatic black bear,” a ministry official said. “But this is the first time we have got confirmation.”

The ministry said it was unlikely the bear came from outside the DMZ considering the barbed-wire fences installed along both sides of the border.

“We presume the bear found in a DMZ is the offspring of a mating couple that have been possibly living there for some time,” the official said.

The bear is estimated to be eight to nine months old and weigh between 25 kilograms and 35 kilograms. The institute believes the bear's parents are also living in the DMZ.

The ministry and the institute have been working to restore the Asiatic black bear species to Korea. In 2001, they released four onto Mount Jiri and Mount Sudo in South and North Gyeongsang provinces. There number have now grown to 61.

There are also 18 bears in the custody of the Korea National Park Service.

It is estimated 109 endangered species are living in the DMZ, the buffer area between the two Koreas' borders that has remained intact for nearly 70 years.