It is upon us! The bears are released into the wild … and their rescuers set off immediately
- The chaotic scene was seen yesterday at a wildlife conservation project in Kurdistan in northern Iraq
- Six Syrian brown bears released in the wild after being rescued from captivity in people’s homes
- But as they took their first steps toward freedom, the beasts launched an unexpected attack on their rescuers.
- Terrified spectators and journalists are seen fleeing for their lives as the animals make their way to the crowd.
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Dramatic images captured the moment when terrified spectators fled for their lives after a group of bears launched an unexpected attack on their rescuers while they were being released back into the wild in Iraq.
Six Syrian brown bears that were rescued from captivity in people’s homes were released yesterday during a wildlife conservation project in the northern Iraqi Kurdistan region.
But moments after the cages opened, the angry bears turned to the crowd of spectators and journalists as the ceremony descended into chaos.
This is the dramatic moment when terrified spectators fled for their lives after a group of bears launched an unexpected attack on their rescuers as they were released back into the wild in Dohuk, Iraq, on Thursday, February 11,
People and security members flee a bear after Kurdish animal rights activists released him into the wild on Thursday
Six Syrian brown bears rescued from captivity in human homes were released yesterday during a wildlife conservation project in northern Kurdistan.
A bear walks on snowy ground after leaving the cage. Release of six bears on Mount Gara from the Duhok government in Iraq’s Kurdistan region as part of an initiative by the American Kurdish Cooperation Organization to protect local wild bears
The six bears were released in their new homes in the Gara Mountains after being rescued by captive activists.
The animals were kept in steel cages, surrounded by a large crowd of reporters, spectators and armed officers.
But as the bears took their first steps toward freedom, they decided to take the rescuers as they approached the humans.
One of the bears released by Kurdish wildlife activists after rescuing bears from captivity
A bear walks on snowy ground after leaving the cage in the middle of a crowd. The six Syrian brown bears were released in their new homes in the Gara mountains after being rescued by captive activists
A bear is seen inside a cage before it is released to take its freedom in the wild, part of an initiative by the American Kurdish Cooperation Organization to protect endangered wild bears.
Dramatic images captured the chaotic scene as photographers and spectators ran to escape the beasts. It remains unclear if anyone was injured in the incident.
According to the head of the organization, Blend Prevkani, the rescued bears were brought from different areas of southern Iraq.
“Some of them were bought, while others were given to us by their owners,” the rescuer told the Shafaq news agency.
A Syrian brown bear is seen inside a cage before being released to take his freedom in the wild in Kurdistan, Iraq, Thursday
A rescued bear is seen inside a cage before Kurdish animal rights activists release it into the wild in Dohuk, Iraq, Thursday
Two rescued bears are seen wandering in the snow after being released from captivity in northern Iraq on February 11
Six Syrian brown bears have been released into the wild after being rescued from captivity in people’s homes. A bear passes a group of cars after being released by local rescuers in the Kurdistan region of Iraq on Thursday
This was the third such version of the organization in recent years.
In 2018, reporters were attacked by three bears after being released in the same mountain range, according to Mr. Prevkani.
He said the bears were panicked by the surroundings with a large group of people, including media crews. Two journalists were injured in 2018.