Illustrative photo (Source: ENV) Tien Giang (VNA) –Education for Nature Vietnam(ENV) on August 27 said it has ended the operation of the last private bearbile farm in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang.
On the day, the Tien Giang forest protection departmenttransferred five Asian black bears – affectionately known as moon bears – keptat a private farm to the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary in the Tam Dao National Park inthe northern province of Vinh Phuc.
As such, over the past two weeks, seven bears in captivitywere voluntarily sent to rescue centres by their owners. On August 14, two moon bears owned by TranVan Trach in Thai Nguyen city were safely transferred to the Ninh Binh BearSanctuary.
The number of moon bears – traditionally harvested for theirbile – that were voluntarily handed over from six provinces and cities torescue centres has amounted to 13 since the beginning of 2018.
ENV Deputy Director Nguyen Phuong Dung said achievements inTien Giang and Thai Nguyen reflect the joint efforts between local agencies andnon-governmental organisations on bear protection, contributing towards theending of bear captivity in Vietnam in the near future.
ENV will continue its campaigns to convince bear owners togive up their animals, she affirmed.
According to ENV, Vietnam has 22 bear farm-free provinces.The number of bears in captivity significantly decreased between 2005 and July2018 from 4,300 to 780.
In Vietnam, bears had been kept to extract their bile untilthe 1990s. Bear bile farming was outlawed in 1992 but owners were not forced togive up the bears they held, only serving to prolong the harmful practice.–VNA
VNA
