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Rescued bear cubs. Credit - Free the Bears.

Stamping out the illegal bear trade secures a future for local people and bears

Laos has taken bold steps to combat the illegal bear trade. Since the project began in July 2022, Free the Bears, in collaboration with the Laos Department of Forest Inspection, Environmental Police, and Luang Prabang Provincial Agriculture and Forestry Office, has rescued a record 51 bears from the illegal wildlife trade in Laos. This highlights the growing momentum in law enforcement and public engagement.

This record-breaking number of rescues includes what is believed to be the world’s largest ever rescue of threatened bear cubs following a public tip-off. In March 2024, 16 live orphaned Moon bear cubs were discovered in a property in the Laos capital of Vientiane, alongside the body of another cub that had already died. It is believed the cubs were sourced from social media websites illegally trading wildlife and were destined for a bear bile farm. After the rescue the cubs were transferred to Free the Bears’ Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, where 15 survivors continue to receive specialist care.

A year later in April 2025, working with Laos government partners, Free the Bears closed down a bear bile farm in Vientiane, liberating three Moon bears from small cages where they had been kept to extract bile from their gallbladders for use in traditional medicines. This is the first bear bile farm to be closed down by the government of Laos. This was the longest running bear farm in Laos, predating the 2007 Wildlife & Aquatic Law that made it illegal to harm, capture, or trade protected species, like Moon bears.

The rescued bears, 2 males and 1 female, were transferred from the farm to the Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary, where they joined 120 rescued bears. Due to the fact that most bears rescued from illegal wildlife trade are unable to be released to the wild, Free the Bears provides lifelong care to the rescued bears, which can live for more than 35 years. This requires substantial investment and creates sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities.

After the bears were transferred to the sanctuary, Free the Bears dismantled and removed the cages from the farm to ensure they could never again be used to hold wildlife.

“Closing a bear farm is a major milestone in our efforts to stamp out the illegal trade in bear bile,” commented Matt Hunt, CEO of Free the Bears. “This follows a record year of rescues in Laos, with 30 bears rescued in 2024. It’s great to see our Laos government partners increasingly tackle the illegal wildlife trade. With increasing public awareness of wildlife conservation, we hope to see greater crackdowns and an end to bear bile farming in Laos and Vietnam in the coming years.” 

The UK Ambassador to Laos and Deputy Head of Mission, witnessed Free the Bears rescue two Moon bear cubs in Vientiane in January 2023. The event was widely shared on the “UK in Laos” Facebook page, promoting the Wildlife Crime Hotline to a national audience and reinforcing the UK’s role in supporting wildlife law enforcement.

Across Asia, it is estimated more than 10,000 Moon bears remain in bile farms. It takes a collaborative effort from all stakeholders – from government leadership to broader community engagement and sustained long-term international partnerships – to bring about the kind of real progress needed in protecting one of Asia’s most threatened species.

Written by Brian Crudge. For more information on this Illegal Wildlife Trade Challenge Fund Main project IWT110, led by Free the Bears, please click here.

Feeding time at the sanctuary. Credit - Free the Bears.