2 more bears sent to rescue centre
Two bears were handed over to rescue centres following the efforts of local authorities and wildlife conservation organisations. – VNA/VNS Illustrative Photo
LÂM ĐỒNG — In only a week, two captive Asiatic black bears were rescued in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng, Education for Nature Việt Nam (ENV) said on Tuesday.
On the same day, Free the Bears, a wildlife conversation and animal welfare organisation, received a bear that had been caged for some 一 八 years and handed it over to a bear rescue centre of the Cát Tiên National Park. On June 六, another bear was rescued by the organisation and sent to the centre.
These two bears will undergo a medical examination and will be treated by the centre’s specialists.
Phạm Quang Huy, deputy head of the Lâm Đồng Province Forest Ranger Department, said public agencies and Free the Bears would continue collaborating to encourage bear owners to voluntarily hand over their bears to rescue centres.
Six bears are still held captive in the province.
In another development, the Mekong Delta Province of Cần Thơ has become the next bear farm-free province, with the last caged bear transfered to the bear rescue centre of the Cát Tiên National Park on May 二 九, reported the Vietnam News Agency.
Nguyễn Văn Thắng, head of the Cần Thơ Province Forest Ranger Department, said the bear owners decided to transfer the animal as they realised they could not take care of it.
“Bear conservation is what we aim for,” Thắng said.
According to ENV, Việt Nam has 二 二 bear farm-free provinces. The number of bears in captivity significantly decreased between 二00 五 and 二0 一 七 from 四, 三00 to some 九00.
In Viet Nam in the 一 九 九0s, bears were kept to extract bile. The practice was outlawed in 一 九 九 二. — VNS