Rare black bear seen in no-go zone between North and South Korea

Find shows ecological value of demilitarised zone after decades cut off from humans

When an unmanned camera captured movement inside the demilitarised zone (DMZ) that separates North and South Korea, it wasn't a sign of troops on the march. Instead, photographs released this week show a rare black bear clambering on rocks next to a peaceful stream.

The animal has been identified as an Asiatic black bear, a species that is native to parts of Asia including the Korean peninsula and is classified as "vulnerable" on the Red List of Threatened Species compiled by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.