Marauding bear forces evacuation of three Chinese villages

A 2-meter-tall bear forced the evacuation of more than 300 people from 3 villages in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province today.
The black-and-brown bear was first seen today morning at Majiagang Village in Mishan City, near the China-Russia border, causing panic among villagers who were on their way to farms, Wang Lei of the border police force said.
"The bear was found roaming the farm, presumably searching for food. It later wandered into the nearby villages of Shijuzi and Lihu and was eventually driven into a pinewood grove by police vehicles," state-run news agency Xinhua quoted Wang as saying.
No casualties have been reported.

Chinese villages along the China-Russia border have been reporting increases sightings of wild animals due to improving ecology.
It remains unclear whether the bear came from across the border, the Xinhua report said.