Vietnam vows to free 1,000 bears from brutal bile farms by 2020
20/7/17
|
Moon bears are seen at Animals Asia's Vietnam Bears Rescue Center in Vinh Phuc Province. |
Commercial
bear bile extraction was banned in 2005, but bile farming remains a problem
after more than a decade.
Vietnam's
government signed an agreement on Wednesday to work with animal activists to
shut down all notorious bear bile farms and free the remaining 1,000 bears
stuck in captivity over the next three years.
Animals
Asia, a Hong Kong-based animal welfare
organization, said in a statement that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding
with the Vietnam Forestry Administration to rescue the remaining caged bears in
the country by 2020.
Vietnam banned
commercial bear bile extraction in 2005, but bile farming remains a problem
after more than a decade. The new agreement is expected to finally close the
loophole, committing the Vietnamese government to ensuring no bears are allowed
to be kept by private households.
Tuan
Bendixsen, Animals Asia’s Vietnam
director, said the agreement shows Vietnam acknowledges that bear bile
farming harms wild populations. “As long as they are there, they will suffer
extraction,” he said in the statement.
The
organization also signed an agreement with the Vietnamese Traditional Medicine
Association in 2015 to ensure an end to bear bile prescriptions by 2020.
Animals
Asia has rescued 186 bears in Vietnam
since 2008 when it set up a sanctuary in Tam
Dao National
Park, 70km (44 miles) north of Hanoi
All comments [ 5 ]
In Vietnam, bear bile farming is illegal
Vietnamese Government does not allow to keep bears at private households
bear is so cute, let them live in the forest where they belong
Vietnam has built many rescue center for wildlife animals
A lot of wildlife animals are in danger of extinction, therefore we must act quickly to protect them as when they still exist.
Your comments