As a highly fashionable luxury product in Vietnam and across South East Asia, the exploitation of bear bile is threatening Vietnam’s natural assets. Captured in their natural habitat, bears are also bred intensively to meet growing demand. Even if the Vietnamese authorities are aware of the risk of extinction for these endemic species, changing cultural practices takes time and effort. Information and education are being used to change mentalities and enable bears to be protected in Vietnam.
Despite heavier laws against poaching and the exploitation of bears, it seems that the trade in bears has never been so buoyant in Vietnam. A highly lucrative trade, 2 ml of bile sells for 4 to 8 dollars (€2.55 to €5.10). This encourages the capture of bears in their natural environment and bear breeding. Hanoi has no fewer than 200 farms. Throughout Vietnam, 5000 bears are in captivity although it has been scientifically proven that this plant-eating mammal is not suited to farming. Bears have a short life span in these bile extraction farms. But the bears are also hunted for their paws which are used for a popular, thick soup.
Animals threatened with extinction
The bears come from two endemic species, Ursus Thibetanus (Asian black bear) and Ursus Malayanus, which appear on the International Convention for the Trade in Endangered Species list of animals threatened with extinction. Customers buy them from poachers who often kill the mothers to capture the cubs. Taken violently from their natural environment, their chances of survival are almost zero. What’s more, these species do not reproduce in captivity.
Investigation
Faced with this threat to the natural environment in Vietnam and indeed around the world, One Voice launched an investigation in the country, the results of which have been sent to representatives of the Vietnamese government in France. During meetings with these representatives, the association alerted them to the dangers caused by this exploitation to endemic species and the government’s responsibility in this disappearance. This is especially true as military bodies are involved in this exploitation, as our investigator was able to see with his own eyes.
Information and awareness actions
While Vietnam appears aware of the problem and seems prepared to act to resolve it, this desire will only be successful if it goes hand in hand with a change in mentality. One Voice has joined forces with local associations to set up actions to inform the Vietnamese people and make them aware of the need to protect the bears. A group of forest wardens will be set up to ensure this law is applied and prevent cubs from being captured in the wild.
One Voice is already working in India and intends to continue it fight in Vietnam against the exploitation of bears for their bile or their paws, by sharing its experience and by contributing to projects that will protect bears and guarantee their survival.
