Dramatic pictures captured the moment terrified spectators fled for their lives after a group of bears launched an unexpected attack on their rescuers while being released back into the wild in Iraq.
Six Syrian brown bears that were saved from captivity in people’s homes were being freed during a wildlife conservation project in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq yesterday.
But moments after the cages were opened, the raging bears charged towards the crowd of onlookers and journalists as the ceremony descended into chaos.
This is the dramatic moment terrified spectators fled for their lives after a group of bears launched an unexpected attack on their rescuers while being released back into the wild in Dohuk, Iraq on February 11, Thursday
People and security members run away from a bear after Kurdish animal rights activists released it into the wild on Thursday
Six Syrian brown bears that were saved from captivity in people’s homes were being freed during a wildlife conservation project in the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq yesterday
A bear walks on a snowy ground after leaving the cage. The release of six bears in Gara mountain in Duhok governorate in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, as part of an initiative of the American Kurdish Cooperation Organization to protect local wild bears
The six bears were being released to their new homes in Gara mountains after they were rescued by activists from captivity.
The animals were kept in in steel cages, surrounded by a large crowd of reporters, spectators and armed officers.
But as the bears took their first steps to freedom, they decided to turn on their rescuers as they charged towards the people.
One of the bears that were released by Kurdish animal rights activists into the wild after they rescued the bears from captivity
A bear walks on a snowy ground after leaving the cage amid a gathering of people. The six Syrian brown bears were being released to their new homes in Gara mountains after they were rescued by activists from captivity
A bear is seen inside a cage before it was being released to take its freedom in nature, part of an initiative of the American Kurdish Cooperation Organization to protect wild bears from extinction
Dramatic pictures captured the chaotic scene as photographers and spectators ran to escape the beasts. It remains unclear if anyone has been injured in the incident.
According to the head of the organisation, Blend Prevkani, the rescued bears were brought from different areas in southern Iraq.
‘Some of them were bought, while the others were given to us by their owners,’ the rescuer told Shafaq News agency.
A Syrian brown bear is seen inside a cage before being released to take its freedom in nature in Kurdistan, Iraq, on Thursday
A rescued bear is seen inside a cage before Kurdish animal rights activists released it into the wild in Dohuk, Iraq, on Thursday
Two of the rescued bears are seen wandering in the snow after they were freed from captivity in northern Iraq on February 11
Six Syrian brown bears were being freed into the wild after they were saved from captivity in people’s homes. A bear walks past a group of cars after it was freed by local rescuers in the Kurdistan region of Iraq on Thrusday
This was the third such release by the organisation over the past few years.
In 2018, reporters were attacked by three bears after they were released in the same mountain range, according to Mr Prevkani.
He said the bears had been panicked by the surroundings with a large group of people including media crews. Two journalists were injured on the 2018 occasion.