According to initial information from the Dak Lak Department of Forest Management, the 60kg bear, which was named “Kaffe” by the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary, had been kept since 2007. The monkeys included a 5kg male macaca assamensis and a 4kg female macaca artoides.
The wild animals were in good health when they were voluntarily handed over to the state agency. They are scheduled to be released into Chu Yang Sin National Park.
According to Assistant Prof. Tuan Bendixsen, Deputy Chief of Animals Asia, Kaffe is the eleventh sun bear rescued by the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary since one was saved in Nam Dinh last month. He will travel 1,300km in a van to reach the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary on September 15.
So far, Animals Asia, which was founded in 1998 with the aim of ending animal trade and abuse, has rescued 165 bears, 151 of which are receiving healthcare in semi-natural areas around the world. Currently, the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary is adopting eleven Malayan sun bears and Tibetan bears.
At the same time, Animals Asia is working with Dak Lak Province on a project to preserve Vietnam’s wild elephants at a cost of US$50,000.
