Mad honey victim bear named ‘Balkız,’ released to nature

DÜZCE

A bear, who sensationalized social media for a video showing her passing out from eating too much mad honey, has been named “Balkız,” (Honey Girl) by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and released to nature.

“The name of our teddy bear is ‘Balkız.’ Let her live by the name,” the ministry tweeted on Aug. 13.

The bear was found unconscious in the Black Sea province of Düzce’s Karakaş village on Aug. 10, by the local forestry officers.

The officers took the bear to the veterinary clinic for treatment, but the video they shot showing the fainting bear sticking her tongue out warmed hearts.

The ministry started an online petition to find a name for the bear, and with the most votes, it was named “Balkız.”

Uploading the healthy bear’s photo in its official Twitter account, the ministry announced that Balkız was released back to nature.

Balkız’ video went viral worldwide as many international news sites, including the U.K. dailies The Guardian, and Independent, published coverage about the bear.

Mad honey is produced by bees who feed on specific plants, which grow in mountainous regions like those surrounding the Black Sea.

People have used mad honey for centuries for recreational, medicinal, and military purposes. Low doses cause euphoria and lightheadedness, while high doses cause hallucinations and, in rare cases, death.