Quang Ninh to wipe out bear farm tourism in 2014

Extracting bear bile (Photo: tuoitre.vn)

In Dispatch 117/UBND-NLN2 issued early in this year by the provincial People’s Committee, Vice Chairman of the Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee Dang Huy Hau requested owners of bear farms to close their farms and sign agreements to not welcome tourists to visit the bear farms even before the bears have not been moved out of the area.

Until now, captive bear breeding to serve tourism and extract bear bile in Ha Long City has gradually been controlled. However, there are still two bear farms in operation. The farms usually welcome Korean tourists, who can directly see the bear bile extraction, try bear bile alcohol and purchase bear bile to bring to their country.

Ms. Nguyen Phuong Dung, Deputy Director of the Education for Nature-Vietnam (ENV), said that captive bear breeding to extract bile to sell for tourists is a serious illegal behaviour. Therefore, for years, ENV has worked with and called on support from appropriate state agencies of Quang Ninh province to stop bear farm tourism.

ENV representatives also believe that with firm action from the provincial People's Committee and the strict enforcement of the local authorities, illegal bear farm tourism in Ha Long City will soon end, to regain the bright tourism image for Ha Long./.