Bear farm “raid” in Quang Ninh
Link to the news on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqOOUJQCZqE
News anchor: Back to the case of the illegal farming of 281 bears in Ha Long city, Quang Ninh province, of which 80 unchipped bears were uncovered more than two years ago. It took a long time for authorities to fine these bear farmers and they have allowed these farmers to continue caring for all the bears. However, according to results of surveys carried out by Education for Nature - Vietnam (ENV), these bear farms are applying new ways to bear bile extraction to sell for international tourists, which not only violates wildlife protection laws but negatively affects the image of the world natural heritage, Ha Long Bay.
Journalist voiceover: The following footages were shot undercover at Hong Minh bear farm in Ha Long city and provided by ENV. They show a foreign man introducing tourists to the effects of bear bile and providing them with instruction on how to use bear bile. The tourists witness bile extraction and taste bear bile wine before being offered the opportunity to purchase bear products. These farms only serve international tourists, so it is hard for Vietnamese people to approach them. The activities including management, guidance or sale of bear bile to tourists are controlled by foreign staff. Vietnamese drivers or tour guides are not allowed to participate in these activities.
ENV has conducted many investigations over nearly two years and collected significant evidence proving that these six big bear farms located just down the road from Vietnam's premier World Heritage Site, Ha Long Bay, continue to exploit these bears to sell bile to tourists. About 20 to 60 bears are being kept in captivity at each farm, serving approximately 100 international tourists each day.
Mr. Dang Minh Ha, ENV director: “The film that you have seen was shot at Hong Minh bear farm in December 2008. According to the results of our surveys since that time, farms including Hong Minh, Ha Long Bear, Ha Long Nong Trang bear farms continue to organize bear tours for international tourists.
Journalist voiceover: In response to strong opinions of National Assembly delegates and the public on illegal bear farming in Quang Ninh province, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Xuan, a member of Committee for Science, Technology and Environment and Vice-director of Lo Go Xa Mat National Park, visited the bear farms in Quang Ninh. Mr. Xuan said that although he did not witness the bear bile extraction, he did see many bile extraction tools in many bear farms such as Ha Long Bear farm.
Mr. Nguyen Dinh Xuan, National Assembly Member: Bear bile extraction is illegal under Vietnamese law, which bans illegal wildlife farming as well as wildlife product exploitation. Bear farms in Ha Long offering bear tours for international tourists, allowing them to witness bile extraction and selling bile to international tourists are violations under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) which prohibits wildlife trade globally.
Journalist voiceover: According to ENV, the systems of management and administrative punishments for bear farms in Quang Ninh seem not to be very effective demonstrated by the fact that a number of bear farms continue to extract and, sell bile to tourists, openly breaking Vietnamese law on captive management.
News anchor: After receiving a letter from ENV the issue of bear tourism at bear farms in Ha Long, the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, sent correspondence to the Quang Ninh Service of Culture, Sport and Tourism requesting the body to work with the relevant authorities and consult the Quang Ninh PC in developing a strategy to stop illegal bear farming and the exploitation of bear products in these bear farms and with raise the awareness of tourists visiting Ha Long Bay that these activities are illegal and they should not participate.