Hanoi home to most “bile bears” in Vietnam: seminar
By the end of April this year, 149 captive bears were found in 27 establishments in Hanoi, accounting for more than half of the total nationwide, heard a seminar on May 30.
Captive bears found in establishments (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – By the e꧑nd of April this year, 149 captive bears were found in 27 establishments in Hanoi, accounting for more than half of the total nationwide, heard a seminar on May 30.
Co-organised by the Education for Nature – Vietnam (ENV), Four Paws, and World Society for the Protection of Animals, the event aimed to raise awareness and propose solutions to the bear problem for the capital's administration. Bui Thi Ha, ENV Vice Director, called on the city to direct the forest protection sub-department and districts’ authorities to crackdown on bear-related violations to put an end to the animal torture. Ioana Dungler, Director of the Wild Animals Department at Four Paws, said with support and rigorous action, Hanoi can reduce the problem and set the trend toward removing the practice from the community. Experts suggested a series of solutions at the event, including intensifying inspection of bile farms, strictly handling related violations, seizing illegally caged bears, and banning breeding bears in private facilities. The city should mobilise owners to voluntarily hand over bears to the State, while encouraging the use of herbs and more humane alternatives to bear bile, they said./.
Seventeen bears – which used to be kept in captivity and illegally traded to harvest their bile - are living in a bear conservation centre in the northern province of Ninh Binh.
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Captive bears found in establishments (Photo: VNA) 
