Lijiang farmer mistakes bear for dog and raises it for three years

This Asian black bear has been raised for three years by a farmer in Lijiang, Southwest China's Yunnan province. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"I found this bear cub in the mountains in 2015 when it was dying," a villager surnamed Yang said. "I thought that it was a homeless dog so I took it home, and it became our family member." A half year after adopting the animal, the villager realized it was a bear but didn't report this to the government. In February 2018, the local forestry police took the Asian black bear away and guaranteed the villager’s family can visit the bear.

The local forestry police take the bear away and guarantee the villager's family can visit the bear. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A photo from a mobile phone shows the Asian black bear as a cub when it was found in 2015. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]