Inside the fight to close Vietnam's brutal bear bile farms

An Asiatic black bear, rescued from one of Vietnam's bear bile farms, climbs a tree at the Four Paws sanctuary in northern Vietnam. Photo: Thuong Ta/Four Paws Vietnam/dpa

Khoi, an Asiatic black bear, sits with his paws resting on the metal bars of a feeding pen, patiently awaiting treats from his trainer, who runs through a familiar feeding routine that helps to improve the animal's cognitive functions while allowing time for carrying out basic health checks.

Khoi appears calm, but the visible scar on his head as well as the erratic behaviour of many of the other bears hint at the terrible experiences these animals endured before arriving at the sanctuary, located outside Ninh Binsh, a three-hour drive south-east of Hanoi, Vietnam.