Asiatic black bears, also called “moon bears”, are in severe danger of extinction. Daniel J Allen visits a unique facility in northern Laos deeply involved in the crusade to protect these beautiful beasts with the help of foreign funding as well as local caretakers and foreign volunteers. He shares their story

Bindi, the five-month-old Asiatic black bear, sits warily in the corner of her den, still clearly unnerved by the presence of humans. Discovered by Laotian police stuffed into a plastic tube tied to a scooter, Bindi was badly dehydrated and malnourished when she arrived at the Free The Bears Rescue Centre in Tat Kuang Si, close to the town of Luang Prabang in northern Laos. Now, thanks to the dedicated work of centre staff, she is slowly recovering from her traumatic past.

“All of the 16 bears that we currently have here arrived when they were very young,” says Jude Osborne, who runs the facility with his partner Jane Clegg. “Their mothers were killed and, if they hadn’t been discovered, it’s likely they would have ended up being trafficked out of the country. At this age, they’re much too young to fend for themselves, and simply wouldn’t survive if they were released immediately back into the wild.”

Asiatic black bears – also known as “moon bears” for the signature crescent-shaped white blaze that marks their chest – are found throughout Asia, from the Indian subcontinent and Indochina through to northern China and Russia. However, the total population is now thought to number less than 50,000 and, like many of the world’s other bear species, is in severe danger of extinction. Although hard data is sparse, wild Asiatic black bears in Vietnam, which borders Laos, may now number below 200.

Reasons for the decline in Asiatic black bear numbers are as numerous as they are depressing. Habitat loss due to logging, human encroachment, and all manner of infrastructure projects is a major problem. In Laos, a country with many areas that are still rich in biodiversity, poaching and illegal trading are added pressures on the declining number of bears.

Although forested areas are increasing in some areas of Asia, the commercial trade in live bears (principally cubs) and bear parts – to satisfy the demand for bile by practitioners of traditional medicine, and the restaurant trade in countries where the natural population has already been decimated – continues to hang like a shadow over the bears’ very existence. Bear bile farms, where bears are kept in horrific conditions and die young, have been banned in many Asian countries, yet demand for bile continues to drive illegal trading and farming across the region.

The active ingredient in bear bile can be synthetically reproduced and is both cheaper and more effective than its natural counterpart. However, many people continue to use natural bile out of superstitious belief or habit. With prices for bile and other bear products already high, and likely to increase as wild bears edge closer to extinction, the financial incentives for both traffickers and farmers are becoming ever stronger.

The decline in Asiatic black bear numbers makes the work of the Tat Kuang Si Rescue Centre all the more vital. Established in 2003, it is still the only bear sanctuary in Laos.

The facility is financed by the Australia-based charity Free The Bears Fund Inc, which helps to rescue bears right across the region. In India alone, the charity has helped take over 400 “dancing bears” off the streets.

For Jane Clegg, running Tat Kuang Si is a real labour of love. “Seeing the state that some of the bears are in when we receive them is truly heartbreaking,” she says. “Every bear that we can help is a bear that has been saved from a short life of pain and misery. Watching the bears become healthier, stronger, and learning to enjoy life again is just fantastic.”

Ensuring that 16 black bears are occupied and active is no mean feat. “A large part of keeping our bears happy is keeping them mentally stimulated,” says Osborne.

“These are intelligent and resourceful animals. In the wild, they would have to forage and hunt for food, so we try to make the feeding process challenging, encouraging behaviour that would be evident in the wild.”

At feeding time, after Tat Kuang Si’s bears have been safely transferred to their sleeping quarters, volunteers and keepers from the local village enter a forested enclosure to hide peanuts, fruit, vegetables and banana leaves.

One of the local caretakers, Sumthone, is well known for devising ingenious ways to keep the creatures alert. Corn in bamboo logs, peanuts in plastic footballs and revolving metal drums and banana leaves in hammocks – all are designed not only to whet their appetite but also sharpen their hunting skills.

To assist the full-time Laotian staff, the rescue centre welcomes volunteers from around the world. Visitors share the full range of daily duties and usually fall in love with the bears, Luang Prabang and the idyllic natural environment.

Contributions from the “temps” also help to cover the running costs of the centre, and no one denies it’s a small price to pay for such a worthwhile experience. Says one volunteer: “Seeing so many bears enjoying themselves, and sharing this with others, who care so much for the animals, has been both thrilling and really satisfying.”

In Laos, corporate sponsorship is still hard to find, and the rescue centre relies heavily on funding raised by Free The Bears in Australia to supplement onsite donations. There are a range of tasteful

T-shirts available for purchase at the centre, and it’s also possible to buy other merchandise and sponsor individual bears through Free The Bears website. Sponsors receive an information pack, regular newsletters and a sponsorship certificate.

Stretched financial resources are not the only challenge facing Tat Kuang Si. “A large part of the problem trying to save wild bears in Laos, as with other Asian countries, is raising environmental awareness,” says Osborne. “It’s our aim to educate as well as protect.”

Laos is one of the poorest countries in Asia – GDP per capita was a little over US$600 in 2006 – so it’s hardly surprising that environmental protection is not at the top of the list of every Laotian’s priorities. Under half of Laos is connected to the electrical grid, which means rural communities often rely on firewood, harvested unsustainably, for heating and cooking.

To many people, this is simply an issue of daily survival, yet the downside may be the disappearance of forests and the loss of bears and many other species.

“It’s not as simple as telling people to stop hunting bears,” says Clegg. “It’s very important to consider local needs, and to give people a way to generate alternative income.

“If more tourists come to see the bears and enjoy the natural beauty of Laos, this income can make a difference to the communities here. Then, we can show that bears in the wild are more valuable than dead or trafficked ones. Hiring keepers from the local community was essential. They also happen to be exceptional at caring for the bears!”

International aid efforts in Laos are slowly moving beyond the simple donation stage into the realm of sustainability. Natural Products International (NPI), a Lao-based company set up with assistance from locally based, international business partners, has been helping Laotian farmers grow crops for which they provide markets. NPI has greatly increased soya bean production in northern Laos, while partners have helped corn farmers by guaranteeing prices and providing seeds and support during harvest.

Many people who visit Tat Kuang Si ask about the possibility of returning bears to their natural habitat. “In an ideal world, of course, we would want all of these animals to be living in the wild,” says Osborne. “However, it’s never that easy. We have to ensure they’ll be safe; they can feed themselves adequately; and there’s genetic compatibility with other bears in the area. Rehabilitation is a lengthy and expensive process and not always in the best interests of every bear.”

So, what does the future hold for Tat Kuang Si and Laos’s dwindling bear population? “We get great support from the Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Department in Luang Prabang, and the local community supports what we’re trying to do here at the centre,” says Osborne. “With more help and continued hard work, hopefully, we can ensure the survival of this species, and put an end to the barbaric practice of bile farming.

“This is an animal that Laos – and the world – can’t afford to lose.”

For information on the Tat Kuang Si Rescue Centre and how to donate, volunteer or visit, log on to www.freethebears.org.au or www.bearlao.com

Lives on the line

The moon bears of Laos aren’t the only ones who need saving. Here are three more projects that could use a helping paw, er, hand.

Giant Panda Tours, Chengdu, China

Wild giant pandas live in the temperate zone bamboo forests of central China. Among the best recognised but rarest animals in the world, they have come to symbolise endangered species and conservation efforts. Giant Panda Tours runs tours and fee-paying volunteering/internship programmes in and around the Bifengxia Panda Base, about 150km from the Sichuan capital Chengdu.

CONTACT: www.chinagiantpanda.com

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GRP), Phuket, Thailand

Set up in 1992, the GRP is located at the Khao Pra Theaw Area, close to Bang Pae Waterfall in Phuket. Many white-handed gibbons in Thailand are taken from the wild (usually as babies) to be used as tourist attractions or pets, and then abandoned when they reach adulthood.

GRP takes in gibbons, cares for them, conducts research, and works to repopulate areas of nearby rainforest. The main centre is open daily from 9am to 4pm and admission is free.

The GRP relies entirely on volunteers and private donations to achieve its goals. It welcomes financial assistance and volunteers, who help out with a wide range of daily duties. All donations go directly to helping the gibbons.

CONTACT: www.gibbonproject.org

Maesa Elephant Camp, Chiangmai, Thailand

At the turn of the 20th century, there were over 100,000 elephants in Thailand. Today there are less than 5,000. Twenty minutes from downtown Chiangmai, the Maesa Elephant Camp is set in lush tropical jungle, now home to one of the largest groups of elephants in northern Thailand.

Taking in former working elephants (principally in the logging industry), the camp gives them a safe, healthy environment while hosting an active breeding programme. It also runs popular mahout courses for tourists, which include bathing with, riding, and handling elephants.

CONTACT: www.maesaelephantcamp.com