An Asian black bear in Cat Tien National Park (Source: https://www.tienphong.vn)Hanoi (VNA) – Authorities have consecutively rescued two Asian black bears in the Central Highlands province ofLam Dong within a week, according to the Education for Nature Vietnam (ENV).
The bear rescue centre in Cat Tien National Parkmanaged by the Free the Bears organisation on June 12 received an Asian black bearheld in captivity for 18 years, ENV said.
Previously, on June 6, the Free the Bears organisation also received an Asianblack bear and handed over it to the centre.
The hand-over shows efforts made by the Vietnamese Government as well aspreservation organisations and partners ending bear captivity in the country.
Lam Dong province’s Forest Protection Department staff have worked hardto persuade and encourage locals to voluntarily release bears.
More efforts have been made to call on local residents to free remaining bears inthe locality, towards making Lam Dong become the locality with no captivebears.
ENV said as many as 22 localities nationwide have so far reported no bears heldin captivity.
From the beginning of the year, the last bears heldin captivity in the Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and the northernprovince of Ninh Binh were released and handedover to the rescue centres.
Effortmade by localities in the work is a positive sign showing that Vietnam may soonend bear captivity in the near future.
In 2005, a government programme was launched to stop thiscruelty, and several legal documents were introduced to strengthen themanagement of the captive bear population.
Many rescue centres and institutions wereestablished to receive captive bears.
Vietnam is home to the Asian black bear and sunbear, which have been listed as vulnerable species by the International Unionfor the Conservation of Nature.-VNA
VNA
