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| Six Asiatic black bear cubs were born on Mount Jiri this year, including these two. Yonhap |
By Yoon Ja-young
Those planning to go hiking in Jirisan National Park this summer may run into Asiatic black bear cubs born there this year.
According to the Ministry of Environment and the Korea National Park Service, four adult female Asiatic black bears have given birth to a total of six cubs this year. They confirmed the existence of the cubs through cameras installed in and around the bears' hibernation area.
Asiatic black bears hibernate from around the end of December to March the following year, and usually give birth to one or two cubs in January or February in their hibernation den. The cubs grow quickly, weighing around three to four kilograms when they come out of the den.
One of the mothers has given birth to seven cubs so far, including one born this year and one last year. She lost one paw in 2017 after being caught in a snare but the handicap hasn't been a barrier for her caring for her cubs in the wild.
Another of the bears is 18 years old ― considered the equivalent of being in one's 70s in human age ― and giving birth to a cub at this age is rare, according to the Korea National Park Service. She was released onto Mount Jiri in 2004.
Based on the project to restore the Asiatic black bears which are classified as a level-one endangered species due to poachers and habitat destruction, the government started releasing bears into Jirisan National Park in 2004. It is estimated that at least 74 Asiatic black bears live in Jirisan and Deogyusan National Parks, including the six born this year.
With the growing bear population, an increasing number of hikers are witnessing bears in the wild, which can sometimes be dangerous. As the season is coming when the bears will be fully active, the National Park Service advised park goers to take sensible precautions.
Hikers are advised to travel in groups and they should never give the bears food or try to take their pictures, according to the park service. It also advised hikers to stick to the trails.
The park service installed banners advising hikers to exercise caution around major bear habitats and it also removed illegally installed hunting equipment. Local residents were also provided with bear attack deterrents. In a recent case, a bear was reported to have entered a chicken coop in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, but it had already left the scene by the time animal control arrived.
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