On April 22, Animals Asia, in coordination with forest rangers and Bach Ma National Park, inspected the health of the two female bears at a home in Quang Dong Commune.
Both animals, each weighing about 90kg, were found fit for transfer. They were sedated by specialists and moved into specialised transport cages before being relocated the same day to the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre within Bach Ma National Park.
The bears had been confined in iron cages for over 20 years. Since 2005, local forest protection authorities had implanted microchips to monitor and manage their condition.
Following outreach efforts by local authorities, the household agreed to voluntarily transfer the animals.
The bears have been named Oriole and Cuckoo, symbolising freedom and recovery. According to Animals Asia, the names reflect hopes for their rehabilitation after years in captivity.
Upon arrival at the rescue centre, the bears will undergo a minimum 30 day quarantine period for health monitoring before gradually being introduced to a semi natural environment.
Vietnam is estimated to still have around 150 captive bears in private households. Many are kept in cramped cages and subjected to bile extraction, suffering severe physical and psychological harm. Some rescued individuals are left permanently disabled and cannot be returned to the wild.
This marks the third bear rescue mission in 2026 by Animals Asia, which has so far rescued 297 bears in Vietnam.
Nghe An was once the country’s largest hotspot for captive bears, with more than 570 recorded in 2005. Thanks to coordinated efforts between authorities and conservation groups, that number has fallen sharply to just over 10 today.
The Asiatic black bear, scientifically known as Ursus thibetanus, is listed as a critically protected species under Vietnam’s group IB classification of endangered wildlife.
