Hanoi (VNA) – Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh, currently home to 47 bears rescued from bile bear farms, has marked its name on Vietnam’s tourism map 🌊as an attractive destination for those who are interested in wild animal rescue and protection.

Over the past time, the centre has paid special attention to developing tourism products that integrate educational content in an attempt to increase the public’s awareness on animal welfare and protection. The sanctuary is situated inside the forest in Ky Phu commune of the mountainous district of Nho Quang, about 40 km away from Ninh Binh city. It is designed following modern standards with eight semi-wild areas on a total of 22,000 sq.m, creating a space that is almost like the bears’ natural living environment. There are water ponds, steps and grass fields to provide natural conditions for bears to bath, play and sunbathe.  The establishment has received and taken care of bears which are voluntarily handed over by private farms or seized from wild animal trading cases. Despite the Vietnamese government taking measures against the cruel keeping of bears, in 2005 by banning the sale and possession of bear bile, many bears are being kept in captivity or illegally traded to harvest their bile. FOUR PAWS, the global animal welfare organisation for animals under direct human influence,  helped establish the bear sanctuary in Ninh Binh in 2016. Not only rescuing and nurturing bears, from 2019, the centre has experimented with a model of bear protection in association with promoting sustainable tourism development. Coming to the establishment, visitors can gain a better insight into the bears’ life through watching them close up and taking part in interactive exhibition and other experiential programmes. The sanctuary’s Skywalk will give visitors a chance to walk near the outdoor enclosure area of the centre. Besides, guides will share the emotional life stories of the bears at the sanctuary. In addition, visitors can visit the bear kitchen to understand the diet of the bears. Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh has become a destination for nature lovers. It welcomed more than 10,000 visitors in 2022, particularly foreign visitors and school children. With countless efforts in popularising experiential tourism, the centre has helped to raise public awareness about wildlife conservation and welfare.  Although providing tourism services, Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh has closely control the number of tours and visitors a day in order to make sure they will not disturb the bears. Besides, activities for visitors at the sanctuary are also designed to  help improve awareness of wild animal’s welfare and conservation in the community. Ngo Thi Mai Huong, director of the FOUR PAWS Viet, hoped the implementation of this model at the sanctuary will contribute to promote sustainable tourism products, contributing to creating a unique image of the province’s tourism sector. Huong revealed that, in the coming time, the sanctuary will continue to build three new bear houses, eight more semi-wild areas, an open-air educational area and an exhibition space, striving to become an ideal ecological tourism destination in the province. Besides, the centre will intensify educational activities at schools, exhibitions in cities and provinces across the country. The establishment will cooperate with restaurants, hotels, and tourism destinations to popularise messages on sustainable tourism./.