A 20-year-old sun bear successfully rescued in Hai Phong province

This Asiatic black bear is a male. It was raised by Mrs. Le Thi Tinh, a resident of Dang Lam ward, Hai An district, Hai Phong city. He was kept in the backyard of an urban house and first microchipped for identification in 2005.

Thanks to effective awareness campaigns by the forest protection authorities and animal welfare organizations, especially the Hai Phong Crop Production and Forest Protection Sub-Department, Mrs. Le Thi Tinh voluntarily transferred the family’s only bear to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center without requesting any compensation.

During the rescue operation, the leadership of the Hai Phong Crop Production and Forest Protection Sub-Department and the family provided full support, creating the best possible conditions for the rescue team to carry out medical examinations, the rescue procedure, and safe bear transport.

To commemorate the special meaning of this rescue carried out on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Hai Phong’s Liberation Day, the Animals Asia Foundation respectfully named the bear “Hai Phong” as a heartfelt gesture of gratitude to the port city for its invaluable cooperation in the mission to protect wildlife.

At the handover event, Mrs. Le Thi Tinh shared that her family had raised this Asiatic black bear for nearly 20 years. The bear now weighs nearly 200 kilograms. Throughout the time they cared for it, they strictly followed all legal regulations, and the bear was well looked after, healthy, gentle, and showed no signs of illness.

“I am completely voluntary in handing over this bear - a beloved family member - to the authorities, so it can live in a more suitable environment. Our only request is that the bear be transferred to Tam Dao National Park, where the climate is appropriate, and that we be allowed to visit it once a year,” Mrs. Tinh said.

According to Mr. Luyen Cong Khanh, Deputy Head of the Hai Phong Crop Production and Forest Protection Sub-Department, over 10 bears in the city have been microchipped and are under supervision. Forest rangers regularly inspect these animals and use tracking systems to ensure compliance with legal requirements and prevent illegal transfers.

Currently, the forest protection authorities are continuing efforts to persuade families to voluntarily surrender their bears to the State, aiming for a city free of individuals or organizations keeping wild bears. In the case of Mrs. Tinh’s family, after receiving information and understanding the limitations of home care, environmental concerns, and conservation priorities, they realized that rescue centers could provide better living conditions for the bear. As a result, they voluntarily decided to transfer it to the authorities.

Notably, given the hot weather conditions and the bear’s advanced age after nearly 20 years in captivity, Mrs. Tinh’s family desired to carry out the rescue operation as soon as possible. They aimed to ensure the bear would promptly receive medical care and be moved to a more suitable living environment at the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center.

Due to the risk of dehydration and exhaustion in the early summer heat, veterinary experts decided to revise the original schedule and proceed with the rescue three days earlier than planned to protect the bear’s health and well-being.

In the coming period, the Hai Phong Crop Production and Forest Protection Sub-Department will continue working closely with relevant authorities and the organization Animals Asia to encourage the remaining 7 households in the city to hand over the 13 bears currently being kept in captivity. The ultimate goal is to relocate these bears to semi-wild environments - places where they can be cared for humanely and live freely, with lifelong support and protection.

This marks an important step toward the complete end of bear bile farming in Hai Phong, and also reflects the city’s strong commitment to wildlife conservation and sustainable development.

Since 2005, when the national bear microchipping program was launched to monitor captive bears, Hai Phong was once one of the localities with the highest number of bears in captivity - over 500 individuals out of more than 4,300 bears chipped nationwide. Following this recent rescue, the number of bears kept by households in the city has dropped to just 13. This represents a significant milestone in Hai Phong’s persistent efforts to protect wildlife.

The Animals Asia Foundation, founded by Dr. Jill Robinson, MBE is dedicated to the goal of completely ending the practice of bear bile farming. To date, the organization has rescued and is caring for 288 bears in Vietnam. Since the beginning of 2025 alone, six Asiatic black bears have already been rescued from households that voluntarily transferred them to the organization.

In Hai Phong, two years ago, the Asia Animals Foundation also successfully rescued an Asiatic black bear named Fern. Today, Fern continues to live healthily and safely at the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center, located in Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc province.