While we continue to lobby for the release of 79 unchipped bears on Ha Long bear farms, and rally international support through our letter writing campaign, life goes on as normal at the Moon Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao National Park. This week de-worming was on the schedule and the teams spent many hours delivering medication to all of the bears, with mixed results!
At the rescue centre we have a mix of adult bears confiscated from illegal bear bile farms, and hand-reared bears who were orphaned as a result of the illegal trade in bears.
We de-worm all the bears every six months, and given the bitterness of the tablets, we disguise them, usually by hiding them in marshmallows, to tempt the bears..... but for some individuals more imagination is required!
This year we used a combination of fruit shakes and marshmallows covered in yummy sauce to do the de-worming. Cubs Maggie and Angus, were particularly excited about their marshmallow treats, and Maggie even lined up for hers!
Patiently waiting: Maggie (R) lines up to make sure she gets her turn.
Lieka, a young adult female, preferred to lick the sauce off the marshmallows before swallowing them, and one of our newest arrivals, Yen Bai, blissfully enjoyed licking the pot after the marshmallows were finished!
However, Marvin – a somewhat more experienced bear – refused all attempts to offer him the tablets hidden in delicious things, so we had to use another method. Marvin was distracted by Pernille, our Bear Manager, using genuine tasty treats with no hidden medications. We had narrowed down his favorite flavours, so we used peanut butter and jam to distract him, while vet Leanne applied the medication topically on his back using an extension set attached to a syringe! A far more trickier operation and thankfully not one we need to do on a multiple basis.
Bear Manager Pernille distracts Marvin with a real treat, so Leanne can administer the medication.
The speed with which the marshmallows, shakes and favourite sauces disappear is quite astonishing! Though excited to be getting these wonderful treats, the bears remained gentle reaching out for more – a true testament to their contentment and the care provided by our veterinary and bear teams.
Animals Asia would like to say a special thanks to Bayer Health Care / Bayer Vietnam who provide us with support in the form of medical supplies, vitamins, antibiotics, etc. Medication for captive bears is an enormous expense, and Bayer's support allows us to care for the bears to the fullest extent.
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| Angus looking eager to try this new marshmallow treat. |
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| Leika licks the tasty sauce off first, before accepting a marshmallow. |
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| Vet Leanne prepares Marvin's medication, as he refused to accept 'doctored' treats. |
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| Absolute bliss: Yen Bai relishes the remaining sauce and licks his jug clean. |
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