Three Asian Black bears (Ursus thibetanus) in captivity on two private farms in Ben Tre and Ba Ria – Vung Tau provinces have been saved by Animals Asia Foundation and have been transferred to Vietnam Bear Rescue Center in Tam Dao National Park, northern Vinh Phuc province after four days of being transported 2,000 km.
Two bears in Ben Tre have been voluntarily handed over by their owner to the functional forces after being exploited for bile over the last 15 years.
The male bear, Yogi, weighs about 150kg and the female 160kg one, Coco (Coconut: Dừa), is named after its hometown of Ben Tre, known for its speciality of coconut.
The two bears are hand-amputees, Coco without her left hand, and Yogi without his right hand, most likely due to being previously hunted in the wild.
The remaining bear in Ba Ria is also being voluntarily handed over to the management agencies. The 200kg bear is named after Switzerland’s landmark Bern in recognition the enthusiastic support of the Swiss Ambassador in Vietnam.
Initially, the three bears will be quarantined for a minimum of 45 days before being grouped with other bears in the semi-natural areas of the centre.
Nhan Dan