Moon bear Ginny was rescued from bile farm hell nearly two decades ago, and constant care means she is still fighting fit into old age.

As one of the oldest moon bears at Animals Asia’s China Bear Rescue Centre, Ginny is easy to spot.

She has delightful grey whiskers on her nose which give away her age, and a knowing smile that endears her to visitors.

Ginny has been a familiar face at Animals Asia’s sanctuary since being rescued from a bear bile farm back in 2000, and even has celebrity admirers having been adopted by actress, wildlife campaigner and Founder of the Born Free Foundation Virginia McKenna OBE.

On the bile farm, Ginny endured years of agony and torment with a steel catheter protruding from her stomach. The crude metal instrument was designed to give easy access to the bile in her gall bladder so that it could be sold as a traditional medicine.

Since she was rescued by Animals Asia, pain and hurt have been left deep in the recesses of Ginny’s past – hopefully long forgotten throughout 18 years of foraging and friendships.

As with all the bears at Animals Asia’s sanctuaries in China and Vietnam, Ginny is kept in the best condition by regular health checks.

Every two years she visits the sanctuary clinic where vets ensure the suffering she endured on the farm – or the natural ravages of old age – aren’t causing undue pain.

Animals Asia’s China Bear and Vet Team Director Nic Field said:

“Sweet old Ginny was brought in for a check up last week and the good news is she’s as good as she can be. She’s had a long, happy life with us at the sanctuary now and is very much a ‘grandmother’ in bear terms.

“Her routine health examination revealed minor changes with her eyes and arthritis in her limbs reflective of her old age. We’ll continue to monitor these and Ginny will get some medication for the arthritis to manage inflammation and any potential pain, but given her advancing years and her early years on a bear farm she is doing remarkably well.

“These routine health checks are very much part of sanctuary life. The bears have been through so much, and the historical cruelty they’ve suffered – in tandem with old age – means they require constant health care to stay active and pain free.”

Following the routine health check, Ginny returned to her grassy outdoor enclosure where she quickly re-established herself among the ten bears in her community.

To date, Animals Asia has rescued over 600 bears in Vietnam and China – mostly from the bear bile industry. Today, 380 bears continue to receive constant care and live peaceful lives at Animals Asia’s sanctuaries.

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