Vietnam to rescue 1,000 bears in bid to end bile trade

Vietnam has agreed to rescue more than 1,000 bears from illegal farms across the country to end the traditional medicine trade in the creatures' bile. - AFP

Hanoi (AFP) - Vietnam agreed Wednesday to rescue more than 1,000 bears from illegal farms across the country, in a move to end the traditional medicine trade in the creatures' bile.

Though bile farms are already outlawed in Vietnam, bears are still captured and caged in illicit facilities where their bile is extracted using invasive and painful techniques.