Ockju Im, Korea National Park Institute for Wildlife Conservation

South Korea’s captive bear industry, initiated in 1981, has steadily declined since the country acceded to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1993, together with a reduction in demand for bear bile. The government amended relevant legislation to prohibit the ownership, keeping, and breeding of captive bears from 2026 onward, and established a public sanctuary in Gurye, Jeollanam-do, on 30 September 2025 to receive bears surrendered by farms or confiscated through administrative actions. The sanctuary, named the Gurye Bear Maru Shelter, covers 25,744 m² and comprises three husbandry buildings (each with 10 indoor dens, five outdoor pens, and one large outdoor enclosure) and an on-site veterinary clinic. Operational responsibility was delegated to the Korea National Park Service (KNPS), which has implemented national restoration programs for the endangered Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus). KNPS conducts on-farm immobilization and transport, performs comprehensive health examinations upon intake, and provides veterinary care, adequate nutrition, and environmental enrichment to facilitate recovery and behavioral adjustment following prolonged confinement under substandard conditions. To date, 24 bears rescued from six locations are housed; most are older individuals born before the 2014 sterilization program and present with severe injuries or chronic impairments (e.g., limb or tongue amputation, dental defects, blindness, hind-limb dysfunction). PCR screening for 59 infectious agents detected positives only for four targets: Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter jejuni, enteropathogenic E. coli(EPEC), and enterohemorrhagic E. coli(EHEC). Next steps include expanded CT-based diagnostics, enclosure upgrades and staged acclimation to reduce stereotypies, diversified enrichment, and planning for additional intake of remaining farm bears.