Hanoi (VNA) – Construction has begun on the second phase of the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Bach Ma National Park in the central city of Hue, marking another step towards ending bear bile farming nationwide by the end of 2026.
The project, which covers 12.5 hectares, was implemented under a memorandum of understanding signed in 2017 between the Vietnamese Government and Animals Asia.
The groundbreaking ceremony on September 10 was jointly organised by the Vietnam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST) under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the management board of the Vietnam bear rescue project, and the Animals Asia Foundation (AAF).
This marks an important milestone in Vietnam’s efforts to fully end bear bile farming nationwide by the end of 2026.
Representatives from Animals Asia, the Vietnam Administration of Forestry, the Hue Forest Protection Sub-department, the Region 2 Forest Protection Sub-department, and Bach Ma National Park at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Phase 1 of the project, inaugurated in October 2023, has already delivered key facilities, including a modern veterinary hospital, a 30-day quarantine area built to international standards, bear houses, and four large semi-natural enclosures.
Since then, the centre has successfully rescued 19 Asiatic black bears from various provinces, and all the animals were voluntarily transferred by local households. This voluntary handover demonstrates growing public support for the Government’s policy of ending bear bile farming.
The second phase, with an investment of more than 13.4 billion VND (536,000 USD) funded entirely through non-refundable aid from the AAF, will expand the centre’s capacity with additional infrastructure, accommodation for staff and veterinarians, and more space for exhibitions and outdoor education programmes to raise public awareness.
Once completed, the centre is expected to serve as a leading wildlife rescue facility and conservation education hub in central Vietnam.
Dr Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of the AAF, said the groundbreaking ceremony marked not just a construction project but an important milestone, symbolising strong cooperation and a shared vision for a safe future for rescued and endangered bears in Vietnam.
Between April and June this year, the AAF, in coordination with forestry authorities and international partners, conducted surveys across 12 provinces, recording 156 bears still being kept in households. The organisation has been working with bear owners to find practical solutions and to encourage voluntary transfers.
With the combined capacity of its rescue centres in Tam Dao and Bach Ma, the AAF has pledged to work with VNFOREST, local forest protection units, and relevant authorities to ensure that no bear is left behind.
To date, 290 bears have been successfully rescued in Vietnam, including eight voluntarily transferred by households in 2025 alone.
These results demonstrate broad public support and reaffirm Vietnam’s strong commitment to wildlife conservation and biodiversity protection, an AAF representative said.
Bears used to be often held captive in Vietnam for their bile, which is thought to have healing effects according to traditional medicine.
The AAF has launched a "#nobearleftbehind” hashtag campaign with the goal of rescuing all bears held in captivity in Vietnam./.
