5 Where-about of Bansoon

On June 27, 2002, the National Institute of Environmental Research confirmed that one of the four Asiatic black bear cubs, which is named Bansoon (in the photo) and was released in the Chiri Mount Range in the last September, is believed to be dead.

This child bear was one of the male and female cubs born in a farming household. In last October, Maknae, a female one returned from its natural habitat for its inability to cope therein. Therefore, counting in Bansoon’s death, only two male bears are left in the Mount Range.

The Institute first believed that the dead one, along with the other two males, went into hibernation. Recently, however, they embarked on a search mission tracking the signals from the tracking device on it. They found only the electronic beeper left after cutting-off by a sharp farming tool.

The Institute temporarily concluded that Bansoon died of starvation. Its maneuvering range was 500m in diameter, much smaller comparing with the 2-3 km range of males. Therefore, the heavy snow in the last winner would probably have made it hard for her to find a prey.

Kim Won-myong, a Ph. D researcher at the Institute, said, “After Bansoon became dead or dehydrated, someone may have cut the device off and took the dead body for its gall. But some experts suspect of poacher’s involvement.

Thus only two males are left in the Range. They may become extinct if they fail to mate with the five wild bears believed to live there.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Environment plans to beef up parole for the protection of the five wild bear as well as for the released ones. The Ministry is also expected to resume the “Restoration Project of Black Bears.”

In addition, the Ministry will widen the current off-limit area by 50%, or from the current 106km2 to 159 km2 for protection purposes, and increase the number of wild bears to 50 by the year of 2011. It will find in earnest sources to fund those plans.

shchung@donga.com