Illustrative image (Source: VNA)Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development statistics from 2015 revealed that only about1,200 bears are kept on bile farms across the country. A record of 4,300 bearsbred in Vietnam was reported in 2005.
However, the VietnameseGovernment, organisations and community must make greater efforts to close bearbile farms forever.
According to the Educationfor Nature-Vietnam, the Republic of Korea sterilised all captive bile bears to preventthe expansion of the population of bears that are exploited for their bile. About660 sterilised bears on 36 farms will be the last to suffer for their bile.
Gilbert Sape, headof Bears and Traditional Medicine at the World Animal Protection (WAP), saidthe sterilisation programme is a landmark step towards phasing out the bearbile industry in the country.
The 14-yearprogramme, funded by the Korean Government with the support of the WAP andGreen Korea United (GKU), aims to prevent new bears from entering the industry,he said.
It sends out aclear message that it is unacceptable for governments to support industriesthat profit from the suffering and exploitation of animals, Sape noted.
The WAP has calledon countries that breed bears for their bile to follow the RoK’s example.
Since 2003, theWAP has worked with the GKU to encourage Korean people to protect bears in thecountry.
In 2014, theKorean Government and the Bear Farmers Association reached an agreement to endbear bile farming.-VNA
