Photo: Screenshot from Sina Weibo

A piggish black bear has gained weight to 200 kilograms by feeding on honey it stole from a villager in Central China’s Hubei Province, while to the villager’s relief, he will receive partial insurance compensation for the losses, Hubei Daily reported on Tuesday. 

The adult black bear, living in mountains surrounding Lianghekou village in Xingshan county was first captured by a villager’s phone camera on August 9 when it stole a whole bucket of honey from a local villager’s backyard. 

After that, the black bear visited another villager’s home for three times and stole 15 beehives from a total of 41 beehives kept by the villager Wang Gonghu. 

Wang said other villagers joked that the black bear has become chubby by feeding on his stolen honey, weighing as heavy as 200 kilograms. 

Wang said he felt proud that a black bear had come to feed on his honey, seeing it as a sign that the local environment and ecosystem are improving. However, he stressed that while protecting wildlife and avoiding harm to them, local people must also take measures to ensure their own safety.

For the losses caused by the black bear while foraging for food, Wang will receive partial compensation through insurance. 

Xingshan county has in recent years stepped up ecological restoration, forest conservation and wildlife protection, cracking down on illegal hunting to safeguard wildlife habitats.

Local villagers said that apart from black bears, they frequently spot other protected animals, including golden snub-nosed monkeys and macaques. 

Global Times