Four bears rescued after voluntary transfer from Ho Chi Minh City
Four bears have been rescued by Animals Asia after being voluntarily surrendered from a business in Ho Chi Minh City — marking another important step towards ending the practice of bear keeping in Vietnam.
Working alongside the Ho Chi Minh City Forest Protection Department and Bach Ma National Park, our team safely transferred two moon bears and two sun bears into our care, at our Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, at Bach Ma National Park.
We have named them Durian, Mangosteen, Jackfruit and Langsat — inspired by familiar fruits of southern Vietnam – a gentle celebration of where they have come from.
All four bears are over 20 years old. Now, after a lifetime in captive conditions, their journey to safety has finally begun.
Milestone for Bach Ma
This rescue marks a significant moment for our Bach Ma sanctuary, which will welcome sun bears for the first time. The team will support the bears through recovery and rehabilitation.
At our Tam Dao sanctuary, we already care for 12 sun bears in large, semi-natural enclosures, reflecting a strong foundation in the care and rehabilitation of this species.
Their scars tell their story
The group includes one male and one female moon bear, and one male and one female sun bear.
As with so many rescued bears, their bodies tell the story of the years behind them. The bears show signs of physical neglect. Langsat has sadly lost vision in one eye, while Mangosteen is missing part of her forepaw.
The long road to recovery
The bears traveled the 900km journey from Ho Chi Minh City to our sanctuary in specialist crates designed to keep them safe and reduce stress.
On arrival, they entered a quarantine period, where our veterinary and bear care teams began the work of recovery.
These bears are of advanced age and have endured many years in captivity but will now receive expert care from our devoted sanctuary team as they begin their recovery”
For bears who know only confinement, rescue is the beginning of healing.
A powerful sign of changing attitudes.
This rescue was made possible through a fully voluntary transfer, with the owner choosing to give up the bears without financial support — a meaningful act that reflects a strong desire to see the bears live in conditions that better meet their natural needs.Reflecting changing attitudes in Vietnam.
It is Animals Asia’s second rescue of 2026, bringing the number of bears rescued in Vietnam to 295. Around approximately 150 bears remain in captivity.
With every bear brought home, we move one step closer to a future where no bears are left behind.
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