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Our Vietnam bear sanctuary told to leave |
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Help us stop the eviction
Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre faces eviction from Tam Dao National Park following an aggressive campaign by the park director, Do Dinh Tien, who wants to see a tourism resort built on the site. A snapshot of Tien’s campaign can be seen in the short video “An About Face” by Melbourne filmmaker David Finnegan. Please
take a look at this video here and share it with those that care.
A big thanks to everyone who has already lent their support by sending emails, signing our petition or helping us to spread the word, especially those of you who contacted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development late last week prior to them submitting their report to the Vietnamese Prime Minister. Please keep up to date with the campaign’s progress by following us on Facebook.
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| Rescue comes just in time for two cubs |
Also facing eviction are Lai Chau and Sin Ho, two moon bear cubs that joined our Vietnam family in September after being saved from traders in Lai Chau Province, which is close to the border with China. The cubs were almost certainly on their way to a Chinese bear farm when they were discovered by local police in a cane basket on the back of a motorbike. Two men in charge of the bike were arrested, and they told the police they had bought the cubs for US$1,500 and were going to resell them to an unknown buyer. Thanks to the prompt actions of the police officers, and assistance of the local Forest Protection Department, these boisterous little cubs will never know the horrors of the bile trade, but neither will they grow up with their mother who was almost certainly slaughtered in the wild. See more about the cubs’ rescue on Jill’s Blog and visit our Rescue Diary to see how they are settling in.
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| Last bear rescued from Cat Ba Island |
It was an extra-special occasion when our Vietnam team welcomed beautiful “Cat Ba” home to our Tam Dao sanctuary in July. Not only was this young female bear safe forever from the terrible bile industry, but her rescue signalled an end to bear bile farming on the island. Sixteen bears were once held captive on the island, which is a popular tourist destination in Ha Long Bay, but thanks to the efforts of one man, all have now been rescued. See here for more.
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| Your chance to meet Jasper, Oliver and friends |
Due to popular demand, we are running another China Challenge Trek departing in September 2013, so if you have always wanted to visit China, trek the Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City and of course see our gorgeous rescued bears in Chengdu, then click here to register now – don’t wait too long, this year’s trek was a sell-out and no treks are planned for 2014.
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| IUCN speaks out on bear bile farming |
The bear bile farming industry was put on notice in September when the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) passed a resolution calling for an end to the practice. The resolution was passed at the IUCN’s World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea. The Congress is the world’s largest and most important conservation event, gathering leaders from government, the public sector, non-governmental organisations, business, UN agencies and social organisations. See here for more.
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| Undercover film ‘Moon Bear’ wins award |
“Moon Bear” the undercover documentary showing the brutality of the bear bile industry across China, won a top award at the Fifth China Ya’an International Panda, Animals and Nature Film Week this August. The documentary, which was filmed undercover by Elsa Xiong Jun Hui, Chen Yuan Zhong and Tu Qiao, was named “Best Educational Value” film. Click here to read more and to watch “Moon Bear”.
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| Canberra plans Christmas stalls and monster raffle |
If you live in or around Canberra, come and visit one of the many stalls scheduled between now and Christmas and while you are there make sure you get your tickets for the ACT – annual raffle. There are some fabulous prizes on offer. All the information – including
dates, locations of stalls and numbers to call if you want to buy your
tickets via phone – can be found here.
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| Don’t miss our great new gifts |
Please think of the bears when choosing your end-of-year gifts for family and friends. This year, we have some very cool limited-edition T-shirts and other great new merchandise thanks to some fantastic artists who have donated their work for free. And of course we also have a great choice of “Gifts for the bears” where your donation makes an even bigger impact. When you give a “Gift for the Bears” – it could be a basket of fruit or a sturdy toy to help the bears rehabilitate – your donation sponsors an item that directly helps the recovering bears at our sanctuaries.
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