Illustrative image (Photo: Free the Bears) Hanoi (VNA) - By handing over the last captive bear to the bear rescue centre in Cat Tien NationalPark on May 29, the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho has become the 22nd locality in the country with no captive bears.
This is the third delivery of captive bears from the beginning of the year,marking the efforts of the Government, Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV) and partner organisations in endingbear captivity in the country.
ENV Vice Director Nguyen Phuong Dung said her organisation applauds the effortsmade by municipal authorities in ending bear captivity in the locality.
Sheexpressed her hope that more localities across the country will demonstrate theirdetermination to free bears.
Itis time to increase pressure on bear breeders, calling on them to stop profitingfrom illegally collecting bear bile, Dung said, stressing the need to eradicatethe illegal collection and trading of bear bile.
In 2005, Vietnam reported more than 4,300 bears held in captivity in bear farms nationwide. Withefforts from the Government, local authorities and wildlife protectionoganisations, the number of captive bears dropped to 900 individuals by the endof 2017.
More and more owners of bear farms are voluntarily releasing their bears,showing the change in their awareness of the importance of protecting bears.
In 2005, a government programme waslaunched to stop this cruelty, and several legal documents were introduced tostrengthen the management of the captive bear population.
Many rescue centres and institutions wereestablished to receive captive bears.
Vietnam is home to the Asian black bear and sunbear, which have been listed as vulnerable species by the International Unionfor the Conservation of Nature.-VNA
VNA
