Tam Dam National Park is home to one of the few bear sanctuaries in Vietnam. Many of the 104 bears living in the sanctuary, including two new cubs, have been saved from the bear bile farming industry. (Bear bile farming is a cruel practice in which bears are kept in small cages for years on end and "milked" for their bile through a painful process. Bear bile is used in traditional Asian medicine to treat a variety of ailments, but it has not been proven to have any healing effects.)
Recently, the Vietnam Ministry of Defense issued an order to evict the sanctuary from the national park for national security reasons. If the sanctuary is expanded into the Chau Dau valley it could meet a military base, but if it isn't expanded or is expanded in another direction it will not interfere with national security.
Bears enjoy a healthy, social and interesting life in the sanctuary. If the sanctuary is evicted, most will have no place to go and will not receive proper care. Many may be condemned to a miserable life in the bear bile industry. Please sign the petition to convince authorities to save Tam Dam's bear sanctuary!
To: Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam Ministry of Defense
We, the undersigned, are concerned with your plans to evict the bear sanctuary in Tam Dam National Park, one of the few bear sanctuaries in the country. Many of the 104 bears living in the sanctuary, including two new cubs, have been saved from the cruel bear bile farming industry. As you know, bear bile farming involves keeping bears in small cages for years on end and "milking" them for their bile through a painful process. Bear bile has not been proven to have any healing effects.
We understand your concern that the sanctuary could interfere with national security. If the sanctuary is expanded into the Chau Dau valley it could meet a military base, but if it isn't expanded or is expanded in another direction it will not interfere with national security.
Bears enjoy a healthy, social and interesting life in the sanctuary. If the sanctuary is evicted, most will have no place to go and will not receive proper care. Many may be condemned to a miserable life in the bear bile industry. Please reconsider your plans to evict the sanctuary. Thank you for taking the time to read and consider our petition.
