A haven for the iconic Moon Bears of Vietnam.
Quick facts:
Location: Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Facility type: Bear sanctuary & education centre
Opportunities: Visits
A Day at the Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary
This sanctuary offers a home to Asiatic black bears (Moon bears) rescued from bile farming and from the illegal wildlife trade in Vietnam. Since beginning operations in 2017, the sanctuary has rescued over 45 bears and developed 5.5 hectares of space to house them in - with more space under development.
Many of these bears are in need of intensive medical and behavioural care to give them a real second chance at life, which the sanctuary expertly provides.
A sanctuary visit can include:
🐻 A skywalk to see the bears non-invasively from above (unlimited time on here)
🐻 Lots of educational posters and info along the skywalk
🐻 A guided tour to see some individuals more closely and learn about enrichment, quarantine, medical care, and the bears general behaviour
🐻 Videos on the bear bile industry and the work Four Paws are doing to tackle it
🐻 A visit to the on-site veggie cafe
🐻 A very cute gift shop
Visit the Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary website.
This sanctuary highlight was sponsored by:
Four Paws International
The Bear Sanctuary was established by Four Paws International - a global animal welfare organisation.
Four Paws focus on advocating for animals suffering under direct human influence (human-wildlife conflict or exploitation). Their projects focus on a range of species including domestic, farm animals, and wildlife.
The organisation opperates under three key principles:
Reveal: The Four Paws international network uncovers animals living in life threatening conditions and works to develop solutions that raise awareness and improve conditions.
Rescue: They also rescue animals in need, providing rehabilitation and medical care in their facilities. See all their facilities here.
Protect: Working with authorities and governments, Four Paws aim to change laws and regulations to ensure animals are protected at a systemic level.
The Bear Bile Industry in Vietnam
Moon bears used to roam Vietnam’s forests freely, with over 10,000 of them back in the 1900s. But then came the demand for bear bile, and by 2005, fewer than 2,500 remained in the wild.
Bile farming is when bears are kept in confinement and subjected to painful procedures where bile is harvested from their gallbladders. Why? It is considered important in East Asian traditional medicine.
Bear bile contains high concentrations of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) which is used to treat liver and gallbladder problems. However, UDCA can be produced synthetically and the components can be found in many plants - including tumeric, milk thistle, and artichoke!
So although there is evidence UDCA can be good for us - there is no need to keep bears in these terrible conditions and torture them to access it.
This is the industry The Bear Sanctuary works to end, showing bears who have spent up to 20 years in this industry a different, better life.
How to Support The Bear Sanctuary
Follow the Ninh Binh Bear Sanctuary on Instagram for updates on their rescues and campaigns.
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Add your voice to the Four Paws campaign to end bear bile farming in Hanoi. This is a quick, easy, and no investment way to help these bears and make a real difference.
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You can donate to Four Paws mission to save bears on either a one off or monthly basis.
Find more info here.
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Looking for a gift for an animal lover in your life? Virtual adoptions not only fund the sanctuary and give these bears everything they need, they also help you feel connected to the individual.
The Bear Sanctuary has adoptions open for Lili - read all about her story and how you can help here.
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If you’re really looking to get involved and make working for animal welfare your career, then check out the Four Paws International Job board here.
