Rescue of nine bears in Binh Duong a good sign for wildlife conservation

Nine rare Asian black bears were rescued in Binh Duong (Photo: ENV)

Hanoi (VNA) – The rescue of nine rare Asian black bears, which were kept on three different farms in the southern province of Binh Duong for years, along with measures to strengthen the management and protection of wild animals are all positive signs in wildlife conservation efforts in Vietnam.

Nine bears removed from captivity

The bears were rescued on February 11 and will be transferred to Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary for care.

The event marked a new breakthrough change for Binh Duong from being a 'hot spot' in bear bile production into a pioneer in bear protection and conservation.

The three simultaneous bear transfers were a long time coming, with the requests to transfer coming in from April to November of 2021, but despite the bear owners expressing that they had wished to hand over the bears, delays occurred due to the prevalence of COVID-19 in the province. 

Eventually, three bears were transferred from a private zoo, four from a communal farm, and two from another farm.

Tran Ngoc My, head of the Forest Protection and Natural Conservation Division under the Binh Duong Forest Protection Department, said that the key to this success was the joint efforts of all sectors and the administration at all levels, as well as organisations and individuals.

All nine bears will be transferred to a bear sanctuary in Ninh Binh Province in northern Vietnam, thanks to efforts between Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV), functional authorities, bear keepers and other non-governmental organisations, including World Animal Protection and Four Paws.

From this success, My pointed to the significance of strengthening supervision and inspection over bear farms and strict settlement of bear-related violations, as well as stronger communication to encourage owners to transfer bears to rescue centres.

ENV Executive Director Vu Thi Quyen underlined that this transfer marks another step in Binh Duong’s journey from one of Vietnam’s biggest bear bile-farming hotspots, to one of the provinces showing exceptional dedication in the fight to end bear farming.

The bears are transferred to Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary (Photo: ENV)

Binh Duong stands as a shining example of how cooperation and commitment from local authorities, NGOs, and bear owners themselves can lead to scores of bears living the lives they deserve at a rescue centre, she added.

New hope for the 'hotspot' of Hanoi

Bear farming is coming to an end in provinces all around Vietnam. However, more than half of Vietnam’s remaining 308 bears are kept on farms in Hanoi, granting the city the potential to make the most significant impact through decisive actions to end this industry. 

In a recent positive swing, the Hanoi People’s Committee issued an instruction regarding wildlife management, which mentions the need for stronger inspections of bear farms. It also specifically mentions Phuc Tho district, where 92.4% of Hanoi’s remaining bears are kept on farms, and through which, if instructions are taken seriously, Hanoi could be named the next bear farm-free province.

This instruction from Hanoi People’s Committee comes at a crucial time, urging all districts and towns in Hanoi to strictly follow all wildlife management regulations and ensure that the public is informed and deterred from poaching, advertising, and trading protected species. It is vital that the district authorities step up and follow these instructions for bear farming in the city, and for Phuc Tho in particular to make every effort to stop bear farming.

These two bear developments occurring in tandem show the results of concerted efforts by NGOs, the authorities, and bear owners in bringing this industry to its end. Binh Duong emerges as an exemplary province, which can help guide Hanoi in dismantling its concentrated network of bear owners, turning the capital city from a bear bile stronghold into an advocate for bears./.