Pair of bears meet new twin cub playmates

Malenky and Nanuq's mother was rescued from war-torn Ukraine

Two brown bears living at a wildlife park in Devon have been introduced to a pair of new playmates.

Mish and Lucy made headlines earlier this year when they escaped their enclosure and made a beeline for the staff area, eating a whole week's worth of honey.

Now the siblings, who live at Wildwood Devon, are being slowly introduced to Syrian brown bear twins Malenky and Nanuq, in the first of a series of carefully planned play dates.

Jon Forde, head of bears at Wildwood Trust, said the first meeting went well but they were "not out of the woods yet".

Mish and Lucy made headlines in June by escaping their enclosure to eat a week's worth of honey

Mr Forde added: "We'll be watching carefully to ensure they haven't been hatching any escape plans."

Wildwood Trust said the meeting was "filled with vocalisations and interactions", with the cautiously curious bears taking part in "bouts of play-fighting and nose-to-nose greetings".

The mother of the twin cubs had been rescued from war-torn Ukraine.

Becky Copland, animal behaviour management officer, said: "Playmates give bears the chance to form bonds, explore and learn essential behaviours - all while keeping them mentally stimulated and happy in a safe environment."

Like their new playmates, Lucy and Mish are rescue bears - in their case saved a snow drift in the Albanian mountains in 2019.

The introduction comes just months after a similar process at Wildwood's Kent park.

Three-year-old Boki was reintroduced to his neighbouring playmates Fluff and Scruff after recovering from brain surgery.