ENV helps Vietnam do away with bear farming

At the event, ENV Deputy Director Bui Thi Ha said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in collaboration with the World Animal Protection (WAP) carried out a campaign to manage the forests and end bear farming for bile after some 4,000 bears were discovered on hundreds of farms across Vietnam for the extraction of the liquid which is believed to be of some medical use.

At the ENV's press conference on October 22

Since then the ENV has worked closely with the Animals Asia Foundation, Four Paws, and Free The Bears to save the animals, promote law enforcement, and raise public awareness of the problem, she said.

Director of the Four Paws Viet Tran Quoc Bao said rescue centers have an important role to play in caring for and rehabilitating the bears, expressing his hope for cooperation from local administrations and international organizations in transferring the animals to the centers to phase out the practice.

According to the ENV, as of August 2024, the number of bears held captive at facilities across the nation fell to 192. A total of 46 localities have achieved the status of being free of bear farming.

While significant progress has been made across the nation, Hanoi remains a hotspot, with 94 bears being kept at 16 private facilities.

The ENV has worked to urge owners to voluntarily transfer their bears so they can live in a species-specific refuge where they have a better quality of life.

Established in 2000, the ENV has spearheaded efforts to end Vietnam’s illegal wildlife trade and raise public awareness of the protection of endangered animals.

Source: VNA