<div style="text-align:left"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif">Dear friends,<br></span></div><div class="gmail_quote"><div style="text-align:left"><span style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br>Animals Asia has transported the cubs to its Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre in Tam Dao,<br>
<br>near Hanoi, where they will be provided with the care they need. The two male cubs are<br><br>Asiatic black bears, also known as moon bears. Nicknamed Lai Chau and Sin Ho, they<br><br>weigh approximately 12kg and 9kg respectively, and are estimated to be around three to<br>
<br>four months old.<br><br>Two bear cubs have been seized from smugglers in Lai Chau province in northern Vietnam<br><br>by local police, and transferred into the care of Animals Asia by the local Forest Protection<br><br>
Department (FPD). The two traffickers, who were illegally transporting the bears in Than Uyen<br><br>district, have been arrested.<br><br>Tuan Bendixsen, Vietnam Director, Animals Asia commented:<br><br>�The Lai Chau police and local authorities are to be congratulated for enforcing the law, and<br>
<br>ensuring the welfare of these cubs. Because of the early intervention and proper care of the<br><br>forest protection department, both cubs are doing very well and looking healthy.�<br><br>Animals Asia embarked on a 24 hour round trip to collect and transport the bear cubs from<br>
<br>Lai Chai, a province that borders China, and is approximately 450km north west of Hanoi.<br><br>The journey was lengthened by terrible road conditions following recent flooding. There were<br><br>stops every two hours to feed and check on the cubs.<br>
<br>On arrival at the rescue centre, they were transferred from their original FPD cage into a small<br><br>transport cage. They were taken directly to Animals Asia�s Cub House and into a den that had<br><br>been especially prepared for them.<br>
<br>Annemarie Weegenaar, Bear and Vet Team Director at Animals Asia�s Vietnam sanctuary<br><br>commented:<br><br>�They�ll be kept inside for the first few weeks, but right now they seem to really enjoy the<br><br>platform and other structures inside the den. They�re entering the feeding crates to drink their<br>
<br>milk, though they haven�t yet shown interest in solid food, apart from some pumpkin. Their<br><br>coats are not in particularly good condition, most likely due to poor nutrition, but with a few<br><br>weeks of good milk, and fresh fruit and vegetables, this should improve rapidly.�<br>
<br>PHOTOGRAPHS CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE:<br><br><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qrn8eri4beyu3lr/rEg8GdznQU" target="_blank">https://www.dropbox.com/sh/qrn8eri4beyu3lr/rEg8GdznQU</a><br><br>
Thank you and best regards,<span class="HOEnZb"></span><br clear="all"><span class="HOEnZb"></span><br><span class="HOEnZb">
-- </span><br><span class="HOEnZb"><pre style="white-space:pre-wrap" cols="72">Trinh Thuy. Phan M.A.
Communications Officer Vietnam
Animals Asia Foundation
Tel: (+84-4) 392 89264
Mob: (+84) 914502998
<a href="http://www.animalsasia.org/" target="_blank">www.animalsasia.org</a></pre></span></span></span></div>
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