Five Asiatic black bears have been given a new start in Britain after a wildlife campaigner rescued them from cramped cages at one of South Korea’s final bear bile farms and arranged their 5,500-mile journey to the UK.
Television farmer Jimmy Doherty played a central role in the rescue, helping free the animals after more than 20 years behind corroded metal bars.
Bara, Rumi, Saebit, Yong-gi and Huimang have now reached Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park near Ipswich, Suffolk, where they will begin the next chapter of their lives.
Sharing the announcement on social media on Wednesday, Jimmy recalled meeting the bears in South Korea six months earlier. “I saw the cages they had lived in and made them a promise,” he said.
“I promised I would do everything I could to bring them home.”
He added: “Today, that promise has become a reality.”
The landmark operation is the first known relocation of moon bears to the United Kingdom.
After being taken away from the farm, the bears spent time recovering at a specialist veterinary centre. They were later declared fit to make the long international journey.
Jimmy, who is a patron of wildlife charity Space for the Wild, described the move as “the beginning of the end” of the animals’ years in the harsh conditions of the bile farm.
“I can’t tell you how overjoyed we are,” he said. “It’s been a long, long journey.”
Veterinarians and specialist animal handlers supervised the flight, with the bears travelling in purpose-built crates designed to keep them safe and comfortable.
Five Asiatic black bears have been rescued from cramped cages at one of South Korea’s last bear bile farms and flown 5,500 miles to a new home in Britain
The bears recovered at a specialist veterinary facility after leaving the farm and were cleared for travel once they were judged healthy enough
They will settle into Moon Bear Islands, a purpose-built woodland habitat featuring trees, grass, flowing water and pools
The new enclosure is designed for foraging, climbing and swimming—natural behaviours the bears were unable to enjoy while spending much of their lives on concrete
‘This is the beginning of the end of their long life in those terrible conditions on that terrible bile farm,’ Jimmy, patron of wildlife charity Space for the Wild, said
They will now live in a purpose-built woodland reserve known as Moon Bear Islands, containing trees, grass, running water and pools.
The enclosure will allow the animals to forage, climb and swim after spending much of their lives standing on concrete.
Moon bears are Asiatic black bears named after the distinctive pale, crescent-shaped markings on their chests.
The five bears were reportedly taken from their mothers as cubs before being confined at the bile farm.
Bara, the oldest of the group, arrived there in 1998 and remained in the same filthy metal cage for 27 years.
He had reportedly never encountered a pool of water before his rescue, but began exploring a bath while recovering at the veterinary centre.
Siblings Yong-gi and Rumi spent almost two decades sharing a single barren cage, while Saebit was said to have protected the smaller Huimang during their years in captivity.
Jimmy said: ‘Seeing them trapped in tiny cages after decades on a bear bile farm was heartbreaking.’
Bear farming began in South Korea in the early 1980s, when animals were imported from Malaysia and other parts of Southeast Asia.
They were bred and kept for their bile and gallbladders which were used in traditional medicine and products believed to improve vitality.
The bile contains ursodeoxycholic acid, which can be used to treat some liver and gallstone conditions, although synthetic alternatives are widely available.
The industry grew significantly before falling out of favour amid concerns over animal cruelty and declining demand.
Around 1,000 bears were still being kept on South Korean farms in 2014.
A landmark agreement was reached between the government, farmers and animal welfare organisations in 2022 to bring the trade to an end.
Breeding bears, possessing them for farming and extracting their bile were formally banned from January 1, 2026.
TV farmer Jimmy Doherty helped liberate the Asiatic black bears after they spent more than two decades confined behind rusty metal bars
The animals – Bara, Rumi, Saebit, Yong-gi and Huimang – have now arrived at Jimmy’s Farm and Wildlife Park near Ipswich, Suffolk
Confirming the news on social media on Wednesday, Jimmy said: ‘Six months ago, I stood in South Korea and met these bears for the first time. I saw the cages they had lived in and made them a promise: I would do everything I could to bring them home. Today, that promise has become a reality’
The bears were transported in specially designed crates under the supervision of vets and experienced animal handlers
The five bears relocated to Suffolk are among the first to be offered a permanent home overseas.
Jimmy warned: ‘There’s still much more to do.
‘There are still 200 bears left here in South Korea that need help.
‘We’re working with our counterparts here in South Korea to hopefully find more homes for those other bears.’
Space for the Wild and Jimmy’s Farm launched the Bears Behind Bars campaign to fund the animals’ release, veterinary care, transport and new reserve.
The appeal has raised more than £90,000 from around 3,700 donations.
The bears will initially be given time to settle away from visitors while their health and behaviour are closely monitored.
Members of the public will eventually be able to see them once keepers are satisfied they have adapted to their new surroundings.
