Residents voluntarily hand over 2 bear individuals to nature

2 bear individuals were handed over

The Yen Bai Provincial Forest Protection Department, in collaboration with the Forest Protection Units of Van Yen, Tran Yen, and Yen Bai City and the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF), has organized the handover of two bear individuals voluntarily surrendered by Mr. Do Van Vuong's family in hamlet 1, Minh Quan commune, Tran Yen district, after more than 20 years of keeping. These bear individuals have been lawfully raised by Mr. Vuong's family since 2004. Throughout this period, the individuals were regularly monitored, cared for, and periodically assessed for their health.

Sharing about the decision to hand over two bear individuals, Mr. Do Van Vuong said, My family has raised bears for 21 years. After being disseminated and encouraged, I realized that it was necessary to return them to nature, so I voluntarily handed them over to the Forest Protection Department and the Animals Asia Foundation.

The two bears have been transferred to a care facility within Tam Dao National Park, where they will be nurtured in the semi-wild environment. This setting creates favorable conditions for monitoring their health and behavior. The ultimate goal is to reintegrate the bears into the natural environment once they meet the necessary criteria.

Continue to disseminate and strictly handle violations

In Yen Bai province, the Provincial Forest Protection Department, together with Forest Protection Units and local governments, has actively disseminated and mobilized people to raise community consciousness about wildlife conservation. As a result, many individuals and households have voluntarily handed over rare and endangered animals that they are keeping to functional agencies.

Mr. Kieu Tu Giang, Director of the Yen Bai Provincial Forest Protection Department, stated that to date, the unit has successfully transferred five bear individuals to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center, located in Tam Dao and Bach Ma National Parks.

Every year, around March and April, the Yen Bai Provincial Forest Protection Department organizes inspection teams in coordination with local governments and functional agencies to check the health of bear individuals. These bears are attached with an electronic chip for monitoring and management.

During the inspection earlier this year, a household in Tran Yen district agreed to voluntarily hand over two bears to the Rescue Center. At the center, the bears will live in a spacious, semi-wild environment with play areas, pools, and rich vegetation.

Such an environment will help extend the bears’ lifespan and better preserve their natural biological behaviors compared to prolonged captivity in cramped and restrictive enclosures.

The two bears recently handed over are both over 20 years old, and each weighs more than 100 kilograms. Mr. Kieu Tu Giang noted that in addition to the two bears mentioned above, currently in Van Yen district, there is still another individual being kept in households. The Provincial Forest Protection Department will continue dissemination to encourage the owner to voluntarily hand over this individual in the near future. 

Currently, Yen Bai province has more than 40 registered and legally licensed wildlife farming facilities. The commonly raised species include masked palm civets, civets, cobras, and bamboo rats. Some species, such as snakes, masked palm civets, and civets, require mandatory permits. Most of these farming facilities operate for commercial purposes and breed trading.