Moon bears safe on dry land after remote island rescue

Moon bears safe on dry land after remote island rescue

 

Moon bears Sam and Simon arrived back on Vietnam’s mainland today after four years on Vietnam’s remote Ba Mun island – just north of iconic tourist spot Halong Bay.
 
The rescue was described by Animals Asia as the most difficult they would ever perform – and was almost called off in the early hours of the morning when a storm engulfed the Bai Tu Long archipelago where Ba Mun is situated.
 
The port authorities allowed the rescue to continue after skies cleared at around 9am.
 
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:
 
“Logistically, there was no room for leeway as we were at the mercy of both the weather and the tides. Fortunately the skies cleared in time for us to make it out to the island but the delay meant a race against time to get away before the tide went out.”
 
After two hours at sea a rescue team, including two veterinarians and a vet nurse, arrived at Ba Mun and began health checks on the moon bears.
 

In addition to the dangerous conditions, the rescue was made more precarious due to the ill health of male bear Simon.
 
Having spent his entire life in a cage, Simon was suffering from a litany of issues. His movement was severely restricted, he had open wounds on his back, scarring on his head, damaged feet and potential eye problems.

 

 
Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:
 
“My heart broke when I saw the awful condition of these two bears. Simon is a bear you can’t help but fall in love with, but his condition is just pitiful. He can barely stand and his teeth were literally falling out of his head. He’s a broken bear that we have to get back to the sanctuary as quickly as possible. There are no guarantees for an animal in his condition.”
 
With Simon’s survival foremost in mind, the team opted to carefully set a lower anaesthetic dose for a quick health check before loading the bear onto the waiting fishing barge.
 
In contrast to Simon’s lethargy, female bear Sam was alert and agitated. Vets discovered her to be suffering from painful arthritis which will be an ongoing issue for her carers.

 

 
Animals Asia Senior Veterinarian Joost Philippa said:
 
“Sedating large animals without the safety of sanctuary equipment is never straightforward which is why safety concerns caused us to conduct the health checks as quickly as possible.
 
“Despite the speed, we were able to find out quite a lot about the conditions of both bears. Sam’s arthritis is something that may be causing significant pain which we can stop with medication. We quickly removed Simon’s worst teeth which were very loose, which will be more comfortable for him, but his conditions are numerous so we’ll be relieved once he’s safely back at the sanctuary.”
 
Fair weather allowed the team to make it back to Halong Bay before nightfall where a crane winched the bears and their cages off the boat and onto a waiting truck.
 
The team will spend Tuesday night in Halong City and expect to arrive back at Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre late afternoon Wednesday.
 
The rescue of Sam and Simon – nicknamed in memory of Animals Asia supporter Sam Simon who died of cancer earlier this year – marks the first rescue to follow Animals Asia’s successful campaign to Save the Halong Bay Bears.
 
Animals Asia expect to complete the rescue of the remaining 36 captive moon bears in Quang Ninh – making the province bear bile free - by the end of June.

For further information please contact:

Maya Gottfried

Senior PR Manager, Animals Asia

+1 (347) 885-9051

mgottfried@animalsasia.org

USA

Steve Jackson

Head of Communications, Animals Asia

+ (84) 0169 661 4958

 sjackson@animalsasia.org

VIETNAM

Four bears starve to death at Halong Bay bile farm

Four bears starve to death at Halong Bay bile farm

The Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department has reported that four bears from the Cau Trang bear bile farm in Halong City, Vietnam have died.

While the exact cause of death is unknown their severe state of malnourishment is likely to have been the main contributing factor, with the bears effectively starving to death.

The news follows an expose by animal welfare organisation Animals Asia late last year.  A report on the farm’s 27 bears outlined the appalling conditions. The bears were described as emaciated, suffering from open wounds and missing limbs.

Following the four bear deaths, 23 bears now remain.

Animals Asia provided a report prepared by Senior Veterinarian Joost Philippa to the Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department and the Ministry of Rural Development on November 27. It included the request that the bears be handed over to Animals Asia for care and rehabilitation at its nearby Tam Dao bear sanctuary.

While continuing to await a response, and fearing for the lives of the bears, Animals Asia followed up with an urgent request to the Ministry of Rural Development on December 24.

Now, with news that four bears have already died, Animals Asia’s worst fears have been realised.  Concern for the remaining bears has also increased.

With the situation growing increasingly desperate, a third urgent request was sent to the Ministry of Rural Development on January 7.

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Director Tuan Bendixsen said:

“The Quang Ninh Forest Protection Department has been extremely helpful in this case. They initially forced the farm to give our vet team access and have kept us updated with the condition of the bears.

“However, it is not within their jurisdiction to close the farm and save the lives of these bears or to allow us to treat them. The Ministry of Rural Development has national responsibility for the welfare of Vietnam’s bears in captivity.”

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

“This is exactly what we feared, with the farmer clearly not caring for these bears on any level.  This goes beyond animal welfare – the farmer is failing the most basic level of care and these poor bears are starving to death.

“This is not acceptable, and we will fight to rescue the remaining bears just as we continue to fight to end bear bile farming. This is an unfolding tragedy that must end. There is still the chance of a happy ending for the remaining bears.”

The farm is just minutes from Vietnam’s iconic Halong Bay beauty spot visited by millions of tourists every year.

Bear bile is used in traditional medicines with nearly 2,000 bears still caged in bile farms in Vietnam – despite bile farming being illegal since 1992.  Bears are chipped and monitored by government, however farmers have continued to exploit legal loopholes to carry on the practice which means the bears suffering regular, painful extractions.

The Animals Asia founders have campaigned against bear bile farming since the early 90’s before founding the NGO in 1998. Since their inception Animals Asia has rescued over 500 bears in China and Vietnam.  

Moon bears are world's most exploited bear

Moon bears are world's most exploited bear

The moon bear is the world’s most poached and smuggled bear – according to a new report from Interpol.

The report on the worldwide trade of bears and their parts, estimates the trade is worth $2 billion.

While the document outlines the plight of eight species across four continents, it’s Asia’s moon bears – prized for their bile – which are the most sought after with products from wild bears in particular demand.

Wild bear bile can fetch up to 65 times more than that from a farmed bear.

The findings, which echo a 2014 report by Traffic, contradict bear farmer’s claims that the legal breeding of bears for their bile reduces poaching of animals in the wild.

Read the full Interpol report, which was sponsored by Humane Society International, here.

Animals Asia founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

“This is very much in line with what we have been saying – far from alleviating pressure on wild bear populations, the legal bear bile market in China has only intensified poaching by both fuelling demand and seeing wild bears taken illegally from the wild to supplement the number of bears on bile farms.”

In their report, Interpol call on the world’s governments to unite to save the world’s bear populations.

Head of Interpol’s Environmental Security unit, David Higgins, said:

“Improving enforcement coordination, from legislation to investigation, can have a considerable impact on syndicates involved in the trade.

“A unified planning process with a cooperative multinational enforcement efforts bringing together police, customs and wildlife law enforcement units is crucial if we want to dismantle the complex networks of individuals.”

The report follows 2014’s release by Traffic which showed the illegal trade in bears has nearly tripled in Asia between 2000 and 2011.

Traffic found that while moon bears are the most heavily traded, sun bear populations have reportedly declined by 30 per cent over the past 30 years because of deforestation and trade.

Jill Robinson added:

“We commend Interpol’s report into the trade of bears and their parts for highlighting just how widespread the trade has become. It is truly global and huge amounts of money are being made at the expense of the world’s bear populations.

“Interpol’s call for global action against the trade is something we strongly welcome. The issue requires a multinational response and as always we’re ready and willing to work with all parties to find solutions.”

Barle's Story: One Polar Bear's Amazing Recovery from Life as a Circus Act

Barle's Story: One Polar Bear's Amazing Recovery from Life as a Circus Act

Purchase HERE

When a 19-year old female polar bear named Barle is rescued from the inhumane conditions of a circus in the Caribbean and flown to safety in Detroit, zookeeper Else Poulsen -- renowned throughout the world for her work rehabilitating bears who have been abused -- is on hand to meet her and help her on the road to recovery and self-discovery. Thus begins Barle's gradual introduction into the world of polar bears. Slowly she forges relationships with the other bears in the zoo and eventually mates with a young male and successfully raises a cub. By living in a caring, enriched environment focused on her welfare, Barle is able to recover from the trauma she had suffered at the circus and develop skills that are important to thriving as a polar bear. As Poulsen documents, however, not all captive bears are so fortunate. Augmented with black-and-white photographs, Barle's Story provides a rich and moving portrait of a remarkable bear and of the author's inspiring work to help her discover her true polar bear ways.

The Esso Tiger Saved from Death

The Esso Tiger Saved from Death

The story below got me thinking. Rather like the number of Lions which played 'Elsa' in the movie 'Born Free' there must have been many Esso Tigers. I recollect being involved in the promotion in the early 70's.
Then there is the word "rescued" being used in this article....I have a problem with that. If the sum of £250,000 ($414,450.00) has been mentioned then money must have changed hands somewhere down the line and so, in effect, it is not a 'rescue' but a 'purchase'. I'm not knocking it though....it is a noble gesture (as were the Lions from Romania and Anne The Elephant). 
My last thought was....are these tigers in an official studbook anywhere or are they just generic tigers and so of little value for anything other than exhibition? And honestly now....just how much is a generic tiger worth?

'Esso tiger' saved from death by wildlife park

Eighteen-year-old Tango had been earmarked for destruction in Belgium along with his partner Julia after the two tigers were seized from a German circus last year where they were mistreated.

A world-famous tiger who featured in the Esso TV advert has been saved from death by a British wildlife park after being mistreated by a circus.

Eighteen-year-old Tango had been earmarked for destruction in Belgium along with his partner Julia after the two tigers were seized from a German circus last year.

The pair were rescued following a campaign by Neil Mumby and his team of keepers at Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park in Lincolnshire to save them.

Tango starred in TV adverts for Esso - whose slogan was 'Put a tiger in your tank' - before going to the circus in Germany, where he and Julia were mistreated.

The two tigers have arrived at their new .......

READ MORE

Two moon bears arrive at China sanctuary in time for Christmas

Two moon bears arrive at China sanctuary in time for Christmas

Two young moon bears are set for a very merry, and safe, Christmas in China this year, thanks to the Sichuan Forestry Department, and Animals Asia, the animal welfare organisation that runs the only bear sanctuary in China.

Nicknamed Rudolph and Holly to reflect their Christmas arrival, the two Asiatic black bears (known as “moon bears” due to the yellow crescent shapes on their chest), are estimated to be roughly two years old. Both bears seem to be in good physical condition, with healthy bodies and black shiny fur. Each is estimated to weigh around 70-80kg.
The bears were found as cubs in the wild by villagers in Yibin county, in the south-eastern part of Sichuan Province, nearly two years ago. They took the bears in and cared for them but as the bears got bigger, they could no longer afford the amount of food they needed. It also became more dangerous to keep the bears once they were no longer cubs.

It is believed the villagers were approached by traders who wanted to sell the cubs to the horrific bear bile industry, in which bears are milked regularly for their bile, using various painful, invasive techniques. The bile is used in traditional Chinese medicine.

Sichuan Forestry has confiscated the bears and transferred them to Animals Asia’s sanctuary near Chengdu, also in Sichuan Province. As Sichuan Forestry doesn’t want to encourage people to take in bears from the wild, no compensation was paid to the villagers.

The lucky Christmas bears have been delivered to Animals Asia’s China Bear Rescue Centre after the long journey from Yibin. At the sanctuary they’ll be provided with everything they need to meet their physical and behavioural needs including veterinary care, nutritious food, comfortable dens, environmental enrichment and access to outdoor semi-natural enclosures.

Toby Zhang, China External Affairs Director, Animals Asia, commented:
“It was a great pleasure to work with Sichuan Forestry to co-ordinate the transfer of these lovely young bears into the care of Animals Asia. The logistics of the transfer were handled very well by their team, and we are delighted to receive the bears at our sanctuary.”

Rudolph is male, and so far is much more confident than Holly, who is thought to be female. Due to Holly’s shyness, it has not yet been possible to confirm the sex. For the first few days at the centre, the bears will be kept in transport cages lined with straw and browse. This allows them to be monitored, let them become accustomed to their new surroundings, learn to trust the Animals Asia team, and receive their initial health checks.

Nicola Field, Bear and Vet Team Director at Animals Asia’s China sanctuary, commented:
“The transfer of the bears went super smoothly, and both of them are doing well. Rudolph in particular seems to have a sweet tooth, and both he and Holly have been tucking into melon and strawberry sauce, and also enjoying fruity ice blocks – another bear favourite! They have good appetites and have been enthusiastically tucking into their nutritious food, like the other bears at the sanctuary. They’re getting comfortable having made themselves nests with straw and browse.”

Once they’ve received health checks from the veterinary team, they’ll be moved to dens in the designated quarantine area of the sanctuary for 45 days. After this they’ll be integrated with the other bears, and moved to dens with access to outdoor enclosures.

Jill Robinson MBE, Dr.med.vet. h.c., Founder and CEO, Animals Asia, commented:
“Providing a home for these two bears is the perfect Christmas present for Animals Asia, our supporters around the world, and for the bears themselves. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the Sichuan Forestry Department. We’re looking forward to getting to know our new family members over the coming weeks.”

More than 10,000 bears – mainly moon bears, but also sun bears and brown bears – are kept on bile farms in China, and around 2,400 in Vietnam. This cruel practice continues despite the availability of a large number of effective and affordable herbal and synthetic alternatives.

Most farmed bears are kept in tiny cages. In China, the cages are sometimes so small that the bears are unable to turn around or stand on all fours. Some bears are put into cages as cubs and never released. Bears may be kept caged like this for up to 30 years. Most farmed bears are starved, dehydrated and suffer from multiple diseases and malignant tumours that ultimately kill them.