Rescue of a Tibetan bear in Nghe An

The rescued bear is a male Tibetan bear, weighing approximately 90 kilograms. It had been kept in captivity in a metal cage within the premises of a household in Yen Thanh district. This individual has been managed with a tracking chip by the Forest Protection Department and the Nghe An Forest Protection Sub-Department since 2005, with periodic health monitoring. According to the owner, the Tibetan bear has been kept since 1998 and is relatively healthy.

Following dissemination and advocacy efforts by forest rangers, the bear’s owner voluntarily handed over the individual without requesting any compensation. This action not only demonstrates humanitarian spirit and responsibility towards the long-kept bear but also reflects a wish for the individual to live in an environment more suitable to the species’ natural behaviors.

According to the Animals Asia Foundation, the rescue operation was carried out urgently and safely. As the captivity area was relatively small, veterinary experts administered anesthesia to perform an initial health check. The examination results indicated that the bear was in relatively stable health, meeting the conditions for transport to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Hue later that same night. At the center, the bear will undergo a 30-day quarantine period prior to group integration and adaptation to a semi-natural habitat.

On the occasion of the 135^th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh’s birth, the organization named the bear “Lotus,” in remembrance of Lotus Village, the homeland of President Ho Chi Minh.

Ms. Heidi Quine, Country Director of Animals Asia Foundation in Vietnam, stated that Nghe An was once among the provinces with the largest number of captive bears nationwide, totaling over 570 individuals in 2005. However, thanks to the involvement of local governments, forest rangers, and rescue units, only 15 bears remain in captivity in the province today. This recent rescue also marks the first voluntary transfer of bears in Nghe An after more than a decade.

To date, the Animals Asia Foundation has rescued a total of 288 bears in Vietnam, including 8 from Nghe An (comprising 6 Tibetan bears and 2 sun bears). In 2025 alone, the organization has received 7 bears from keeping households across the country through voluntary handovers. The “No Bear Left Behind” campaign is being vigorously implemented with broad support both domestically and internationally.

Currently, approximately 200 bear individuals are being kept in captivity across Vietnam. The Animals Asia Foundation is committed to continuing close cooperation with functional agencies to intensify rescue efforts and work towards the complete eradication of bear captivity, aiming at wildlife conservation and fulfilling biodiversity protection commitments.