Move over Paddington Bear, there’s a new bruin in town.
Animals Asia, an animal welfare charity, have saved a moon bear — also known as an Asian black bear — that rescuers named Paddington. It was kept in a tiny cage at a bile farm in Vietnam, according to PEOPLE.
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The Forest Protection Department in Nam Dinh, Vietnam, told Animals Asia that a police officer saw Paddington stuck at the farm.
The Vietnamese authorities and Animals Asia have been working together for years to end bear bile farming in Vietnam. Bears are held captive in small spaces, so their bile can be extracted for use in traditional eastern medicines.
The practice is now illegal in Vietnam, but many bear bile farmers have kept their animals due to legal loopholes in the ban. Through their partnership, Animals Asia and the Vietnam authorities have reached hundreds of bear bile farmers and worked with them to surrender their animals, according to PEOPLE.
After learning about Paddington, Animals Asia and the authorities contacted the female bear’s owner, who agreed to surrender the animal voluntarily. On Sept. 22, after creating an rescue plan for Paddington, Animals Asia went to the farm and helped the bear take her first steps toward freedom.
Animals Asia estimated Paddington had been stuck for 17 years. He was given marmalade at the sanctuary and liked it.
Animals Asia believes there are around 310 bears still stuck at bile farms in Vietnam.