Six Tibetan bears were successfully rescued from a farm in Thuan An township of the southern province of Binh Duong by the Animals Asia on December 8.

The bears were implanted with microchips and kept at the farm for about 12 years. They were sent to the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary in the Tam Dao National Park of Vinh Phuc province. The owner voluntarily relinquished the animals.

This year, the Animals Asia has rescued and sent a total of 17 Tibetan bears to the sanctuary, with 15 bears from Binh Duong province.

Statistics of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development showed that there were 317 bears in Binh Duong in 2005, but the figure strongly reduced to 155 in 2014.

According to the latest statistics from the Vietnam Forest Protection Department, 1,245 Asian black bears were being held in captivity in 430 bear farms nationwide as by early 2015.

To date, the Animals Asia has rescued 192 Tibetan and Malayan bears. As many as 176 bears are currently living at the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary, which was built by the Animals Asia and the Vietnam Forest Protection Department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The organisation has worked together with authorised agencies and forest protection sector to save bears and disseminate bear protection laws. It also held several programmes on animal protection for students.-VNA