A fighting chance: Rescued endangered Asiatic black bear cubs being fed by conservationists at the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary in Luang Prabang. — AFP
Sixteen Asiatic Black Bear cubs rescued from the home of a wildlife poacher in Laos last month are thriving at a sanctuary for the endangered species, where they are being cared for round-the-clock by local and international conservationists.
The sanctuary in Luang Prabang, the ancient capital of Laos, is run by Free the Bears, an Australian wildlife conservation group that works with local communities and governments in Asia to rescue and protect the endangered Asiatic Black Bear, commonly known as the moon bear, and the equally at risk smaller sun bear native to South-East Asia.
The group’s CEO Matt Hunt said the sanctuary was considering expanding its play, housing and veterinary facilities as it has never hosted so many bears, or ones so young, before.
The cubs are now being bottle fed, and will need to stay in the sanctuary for several months until they are big enough to survive on their own, he added.
The cubs were seen playfully running at the sanctuary and swimming in a small pond.
“It’s probably the single largest-ever rescue of endangered bear cubs worldwide,” he said.
Laos police rescued the cubs in late March during a raid on a home owned by a Chinese national, Hunt said.
The neighbours alerted the police, after hearing the cubs crying. By the time the police were able to extract them, one of the cubs had unfortunately died, he added.
“They are extremely young, seemingly purchased illegally from hunters across Northern Laos,” Hunt said. — Reuters
