Over the past decade, Vietnam has made significant progress in ending bear bile farming thanks to efforts from agencies, non-Governmental organisations and the entire community.
Hanoi (VNA)– Over the past decade, Vietnam has made significant progress in ending bearbile farming thanks to efforts from agencies, non-Governmental organisationsand the entire community. Ministry ofAgriculture and Rural Development statistics from 2015 revealed that only about1,200 bears are kept on bile farms across the country. A record of 4,300 bearsbred in Vietnam was reported in 2005. However, the VietnameseGovernment, organisations and community must make greater efforts to close bearbile farms forever. According to the Educationfor Nature-Vietnam, the Republic of Korea sterilised all captive bile bears to preventthe expansion of the population of bears that are exploited for their bile. About660 sterilised bears on 36 farms will be the last to suffer for their bile. Gilbert Sape, headof Bears and Traditional Medicine at the World Animal Protection (WAP), saidthe sterilisation programme is a landmark step towards phasing out the bearbile industry in the country. The 14-yearprogramme, funded by the Korean Government with the support of the WAP andGreen Korea United (GKU), aims to prevent new bears from entering the industry,he said. It sends out aclear message that it is unacceptable for governments to support industriesthat profit from the suffering and exploitation of animals, Sape noted. The WAP has calledon countries that breed bears for their bile to follow the RoK’s example. Since 2003, theWAP has worked with the GKU to encourage Korean people to protect bears in thecountry. In 2014, theKorean Government and the Bear Farmers Association reached an agreement to endbear bile farming.-VNA
Nguyen Dinh Xuan, Director of the Lo Go Xa Mat National Park in the south-western border province of Tay Ninh, received a prize for bear protection from the city of Bern, Switzerland in Hanoi on April 20.
All bears being raised in captivity in northern Quang Ninh province have to be transferred to the Tam Dao Bear Rescue Centre in northern Vinh Phuc province by the end of May, the Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (MARD) has ordered.
The Director of Education for the Nature of Vietnam (ENV), Vu Thi Quyen, has said that people should be proud of the achievements made over the past decade in addressing bear farming, protecting biodiversity and aiding the wild bear population.
Construction of the Vietnam Bear Sanctuary – Phase 2 in the Tam Dao National Park of Vinh Phuc northern province has been completed, announced the Animals Asia on April 19.
Floodwater levels in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta are high and will continue to rise this month, especially in upstream areas, according to the hydraulic works management and construction department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.
Conservation efforts to restore habitat and boost the population of red-crowned cranes in Tram Chim National Park are finally showing progress, with the cranes and many other rare wild birds coming back to the park.
Torrential rains from the night of July 31 to early August 1 triggered flash floods and landslides across several communes in Dien Bien province, leaving at least two people dead and eight others missing.
Transitioning to a circular economy not only offers a sustainable development path for Ho Chi Minh City but also serves as a pivotal step toward establishing a fully green economy.
An exhibition featuring 100 green, recycled, and circular economy models and products from 50 businesses and educational establishments took place in Ho Chi Minh City on July 31, as part of the local green transition forum and recycle day 2025.
Regional solidarity and cooperation are the key factor for the effective implementation of wildlife protection regulations. Only through sustainable cooperation, innovative approaches, and collective action can biodiversity be safeguarded for the present and future generations, an Vietnamese official has said.
Hanoi has approved a comprehensive plan to restore the environmental quality and develop four major urban rivers – the To Lich, Kim Nguu, Lu, and Set reverine environments.
The Javan pangolin is listed in Vietnam’s Red Book as critically endangered and is protected under Group IB – a category reserved for forest species facing an extremely high risk of extinction and requiring strict conservation measures.
As a key member of the core group of 18 countries, initiated by Vanuatu, Vietnam engaged in advocating for the UN General Assembly’s Resolution N.77/276, requesting for the ICJ’s advisory opinion. Following the resolution's adoption, Vietnam fully participated in all procedural steps for the first time, from submitting written proposals to presenting directly at the court’s hearings.
The wild elephant population in Da Nang includes a full developed herb of mature males, females, and calves. To date, the herd has grown to nine individuals.
Conservation efforts here have become a model, helping to save millions of turtle hatchlings and promoting Con Dao as a member of the Indian Ocean-Southeast Asia Turtle Site Network.
As part of its drive to fulfil its net zero emissions commitment by 2050, Vietnam is fast-tracking the development of a legal corridor to launch a pilot carbon market by the end of 2025, according to the Department of Climate Change.
Under the plan, from 2025 to 2026, the city will complete mechanisms and policies to support businesses in switching to green vehicles, expand the electric and green-energy bus network, and build charging stations. The targeted proportion of green buses is set at 10% in 2025 and 20–23% in 2026.
Storm Comay, the fourth in the East Sea this year, was at around 16.7 degrees North and 118.3 degrees East, in the east of the East Sea's northern waters as of 4am on July 24.
The disaster risk warning level for flash floods, landslides, and ground subsidence due to heavy rains and flows is rated at level 1, except in Nghe An, where it is raised to level 2.
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) 
