On November 5, 2014, Animals Asia Organization held an opening ceremony to inaugurate four Semi-natural Enclosures for Bears in Vietnam at Tam Dao National Park, Vinh Phuc Province. The work is one of the important items of the project on constructing and operating Centre for Vietnam Bears Rescue Phase II. It is the largest international-standard Bears Rescue Centre project in the country.
The system of four semi-natural enclosures are connected via two double bear house with a total area of 12,000 square meters, natural terrain variety, being capable of feeding 80 bears in a semi-wild model. The work started to be built in December 2013, with an investment of nearly 18 billion from the Organization of Animals Asia. Some rooms are specially equipped, have suitable design to each physical and advocacy conditions of disable bears which were rescued from keeping bears farms for honey. In addition, semi natural area has an area of over 2,500 square meters. In this area, there are pool, stairs, branches as well as special equipment to diversify the habitat of bears, contributing to their recovery and natural development as well as the flexibility.
The Semi-natural Enclosures for Bears contribute effectively in improving the ability of rescuing of Vietnam Bear Rescue Center, as well as increase the flexibility in the care of 110 bears here. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Tuan Bendixsen, Representative Organization of Animals Asia in Vietnam said, "Overcoming many difficulties and problems in the past 2 years, the twin buildings are completed as a proud milestone in the development history of the organization of Animals Asia in Vietnam. This success cannot be achieved without the cooperation and help of agencies, organizations and individuals, especially the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, represented by Vietnam Forest Protection Department and Tam Dao National Park.”
He also added, “undergo a process of isolation and medical treatment, rehabilitation and transplantation, taking bears to the semi-natural enclosures is the biggest reward for us. As, for a lot of bears, this is the first time that they feel green grass under their foot, and warm sunlight on back. The bears are, rescued from the farm, often locked in cages very narrow, only about one square meter”. The project of building and operating the Bear Rescue Centre in Vietnam is a collaborative project between the Animal Asia Organization and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. It is funded all by Animals Asia Organization, a non-governmental organization international with the total project budget of US $ 7,694,448.
Animals Asia organization pledged to support full financial aid as well as maintaining Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in 15 years after the end of the project. The project aims to build a Bear Rescue Center in Vietnam with international standards for 200 bears on an area of 12 hectares, located in Tam Dao National Park. The center will provide a lifetime refuge for bears from bear farms. The center includes a separate area, 5 twin bears’ houses, and 10 semi wild areas, special care, education center/visit, and utility area to serve activities of the centre. The Bear Rescue Centre is also an educational center to raise awareness about the conservation of bears in Vietnam. Due to shrinking habitat (the gradual disappearance of natural forests), and hunting wild bears to extract bile, the number of wild bears is estimated about a few hundred individuals. Meanwhile, according to the Forest Protection Department of Vietnam, by the end of 2012, about 2,400 bears were jailed in bear farms across the country.