Household in Yen Thanh voluntarily transferred over 20-year-old bear

On the morning of May 23, in Yen Thanh district, Animals Asia coordinated with the Forest Ranger force to successfully rescue an individual moon bear and brought it to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center at Bach Ma National Park, Hue city.

This male bear belongs to the Asiatic black bear species ( Ursus thibetanus ), listed in the list of endangered and rare forest animals in group IB according to Decree 84/2021/ND-CP of the Government .

Staff at the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center mix drugs to inject anesthetic into bears. Photo: Van Truong

The rescued bear is a male sun bear, weighing about 120 kg, kept in an iron cage in the yard of a household in Yen Thanh district. This individual has been microchipped by the Forestry Department and Nghe An Forestry Sub-Department since 2005 and has its health monitored periodically. Mr. Nguyen Duy Long - the bear owner said that he has been raising the sun bear since 1998 until now, the bear is relatively healthy.

The injection is attached to a gun to "shoot" the bear to ensure the safety of the injection staff. Photo: Van Truong

After being informed and persuaded by the Yen Thanh Forest Rangers, the family voluntarily transferred the bear. This action demonstrates the spirit of humanity and responsibility towards wild animals, as well as the desire for the bear to live in an environment more suitable to the natural habits of the species.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Khanh - Head of Yen Thanh District Forest Protection Department shared: "The transfer took place according to technical procedures, ensuring safety for both people and animals.

Animals Asia said the rescue was carried out quickly and safely. Due to the relatively small conditions of the holding area, veterinary experts anesthetized the bears for an initial health check. The results of the check showed that the bears were in relatively stable health and were eligible for transport to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Center in Hue that same night. There, the bears will be quarantined for 30 days before being grouped and integrated into a semi-natural environment.

After being anesthetized, the bear was given a final check by the rescuers. Photo: Van Truong

Ms. Heidi Quine, Chief Representative of Animals Asia in Vietnam, said that Nghe An used to be one of the localities with the largest number of captive bears in the country, with more than 570 individuals in 2005. However, thanks to the intervention of the government, rangers and rescue units, there are now only 15 captive bears in the locality. This rescue case also marks the first time in more than a decade that bears have been voluntarily transferred in Nghe An.

The anesthetized bear is placed in an iron cage. Photo: Van Truong

To date, Animals Asia has rescued a total of 288 bears in Vietnam, including 8 from Nghe An (6 moon bears and 2 sun bears). In 2025, 7 bears were received by the organization from households across the country in the form of voluntary transfers. The campaign "No Bear Left Behind" is being strongly implemented with widespread response at home and abroad.

The bear was placed in a safe iron cage and taken by car to the Center in Bach Ma National Park, Hue City for further care. Photo: Van Truong

Representatives of Animals Asia signed the bear handover minutes with the homeowner and the Forest Protection Department. Photo: Van Truong

Mr. Nguyen Viet Khanh - Head of Yen Thanh Forest Protection Department added: There are still 2 households raising bears in Quang Thanh commune in the district. The Forest Protection force continues to propagate and mobilize households to voluntarily hand over to the authorities soon, contributing to the protection of rare animals and complying with legal regulations on biodiversity conservation.

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/ho-dan-o-yen-thanh-tu-nguyen-chuyen-giao-gau-ngua-hon-20-nam-tuoi-10298046.html