Rescued from the cage that held him for ten years Bern steps out into the light – sniffing the sanctuary smells and blinking in the sunlight.

He paws at the bright green grass that rings his den and stops for a moment to take in the open space ahead of him.

For year after year his whole world was within a paw’s reach – now it unfolds ahead of him. The grass, a pool and climbing frames are clearly visible, while beyond the sanctuary, the surrounding jungle and mountains loom.

And common to rescued bears, the vast blue sky above is a wonder for Bern.

Bern is progressing well. He hasn’t yet ventured far from his den but that’s normal for rescued bears and his rehabilitation is progressing well.

Since his rescue from a bile farm in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau in March, Bern has already completed quarantine and been given the go-ahead by vets to move into a spacious new den.

But Bern is still just learning the basics of how to be a bear.

His body may be healthy, but an unnatural upbringing in a tiny cage means Bern is yet to learn that nature – grass, trees, insects and all – won’t harm him.

Animals Asia Vietnam Bear and Vet Team Director, Annemarie Weegenaar said:

“It’s quite common for rescued bears to be reluctant at first to go out into enclosures. They basically have little to no experience of these environments and often take time to adjust.”

Bear Manager Sarah Dempsey said:

“Bern will creep out onto the concrete in front of his den, sniffing and snatching at food, but it’s usually only a few minutes before he returns to the den and repeats the process till he’s eaten everything within easy reach.

“But this is a common response that we’ve seen many times before in bears rescued from the bile industry. Bern is growing in confidence every day so hopefully it will only take him a few weeks to get used to the open space.”

Once Bern has become accustomed to life in an enclosure, the next stage of his rehabilitation will see him integrated with other bears. If this is successful, Bern will eventually become an important and much loved member of a community of 15 bears in House 2 of Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre.

Sarah Dempsey added:

“Bern’s rehabilitation is running very smoothly and is a good example of what happens in ideal cases. We just need to hope he makes the adjustment and that he reacts well to meeting his new friends. He has shown signs that he gets excited quite easily and there are no guarantees that bears will get on, but hopefully he’ll fit in well to house 2.”

Animals Asia founder Jill Robinson added:

“A cage has been Bern’s whole world and now he’s learning there is so much more beyond that. A better diet and love and care has made him physically ready – time will see his mind catch up.”

From rescue to rehabilitation

Since March this year, Animals Asia has rescued seven more bears in Vietnam.

Coco and Yogi were rescued from Ben Tre in March. They have finished quarantine and moved into dens. Both bears have received health checks and the team hope to integrate them with other bears in the near future.

Sun bear cub Goldie was rescued from remote Dien Bien province in April. He has completed quarantine and is enjoying exploring a large enclosure in the cub house.

Sam and Simon were rescued from an island in Bai Tu Long Bay, Quang Ninh province as part of the most challenging rescue Animals Asia has ever undertaken. Both bears are currently in dens following quarantine. Simon’s health remains a concern.

In June, Song Sot, the sole surviving bear from the Cau Trang bear bile farm was rescued during an emergency mission to Quang Ninh province following the death of four other bears at the facility. Song Sot is still in quarantine and scheduled to move to a den in mid-July.

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