The bears, now named Bonnie and Clyde, were micro-chipped and keptin the family for nearly 20 years.
Binh Duong’s Sub-Department Forest Protection has been advocatingfor the elder owners to hand over the bears to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centrein northern Vinh Phuc province’s Tam Dao National Park.
Bonnie, the female bear, weighs around 150kg and suffers frommultiple health problems, including abnormal signs in the gallbladder, anamputated right hind leg, and a wounded left hind leg, said senior veterinarysurgeon Shaun Thomson from Animals Asia.
Meanwhile, the 120kg male bear Clyde is in slightly better healthcondition, although examinations show its gallbladder has a few signs ofdamage. The bear also experiences hair loss in the abdomen area, which mightcome from lying on the concrete floor in the cage for too long, according tothe animal expert.
Bears have often been held captive in Vietnam for their bile,which is thought to have healing effects according to traditional medicine.This practice has been illegal since 2005.
The operation has brought the total number of bears rescued in BinhDuong province to 48, and by Animals Asia to 264./.