An Asiatic black bear owned by Tran Van Trach in Thai Nguyen City, Thai Nguyen Province was safely transferred to the Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary yesterday.

The bear received a medical examination by Four Paws Viet staff. — Photo courtesy of ENV

Tran Van Trach is the first bear owner in Thai Nguyen Province to voluntarily hand over his bear, marking a milestone in the journey towards ending bear farming in the locality.

Last May, Trach joined a tour of the sanctuary to see what an appropriate home to bears should look like. This was part of a joint effort by Four Paws Viet, an animal welfare organisation, Education for Nature Việt Nam (ENV) and Thai Nguyen Province Department of Forest Rangers to convince bear owners to give up their animals.

According to the latest data released by Viet Nam Forest Protection Department, as of July, 2018, Viet Nam has only 780 bears in captivity outside rescue centres.

According to ENV, Viet Nam has 22 bear farm-free provinces. The number of bears in captivity significantly decreased between 2005 and 2017 from 4,300 to some 900.

Bears were kept to extract their bile until the 1990s. Bear bile farming was outlawed in 1992 but owners were not forced to give up the bears they held, prolonging the harmful practice. — VNS