The local Chutian Metropolis Daily reported on Tuesday that two brown bears tried to escape their habitat at the Wuhan Zoo in central China's Hubei Province but were recaptured before harming any visitors.

A bear couple try to escape over a fence at the Wuhan Zoo on January 22, 2008.

The bear couple, both about 18 years old, were climbing on bamboo branches that had been weighted down by snow, allowing the bears to reach a rail fence, when they were discovered by the zoo keeper.

"There is a?three meter wide moat that isolates the bear zone from the visitors," Chen Yong, the zoo keeper said, "in addition the fence is five meters high. The bears could never get out under normal circumstances."

The report says the near escape has alarmed the zoo administration and they have cleaned out all tree branches and other items that could aid in an animal's get away.

(CRI January 23, 2008)