A video posted by Animals Asia (@animalsasia) on Dec 20, 2016 at 11:45pm PST

 

Hundreds of bears previously abused in tiny cages on bile farms in Vietnam and China, chewed, munched and clawed their way though their very own Christmas presents.

For the hundreds of bears at Animals Asia’s sanctuaries rescued from trafficking and the bile trade in China and Vietnam, healthy, nutritious food and space to move were luxuries they were not afforded.

But their lives are very different now. Each bear is an individual with a name, not just a number generating profit. Each has intrinsic value in and of themselves and each is given the freedom to roam, climb, swim and play with their bear friends every single day.

And as usual, this year each and every bear got their very own edible Christmas present, lovingly prepared by their carers and local school children eager to learn about these magnificent animals.

In Vietnam, the bears even had their own Christmas tree, complete with edible papier mache baubles – all of which was playfully destroyed by the inquisitive bears.

Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

“These bears are like family to us and we wouldn’t dream of letting a Christmas go by without giving them their presents. It’s become a tradition at our sanctuaries which everyone loves – the bears most of all.

“Apart from being a real laugh for everyone taking part, it’s also a really important part of the bears’ enrichment programme. The presents, appearing just once a year, are something new for the bears to explore, smell, taste and generally have lots of fun destroying. We try to give them novelty every day and the holidays are no different.”

 

A video posted by Animals Asia (@animalsasia) on Dec 20, 2016 at 11:47pm PST

 

To date Animals Asia has rescued more than 600 bears, mostly from the bear bile industry. Over 300 bears continue to live out their days at Animals Asia sanctuaries in both China and Vietnam.

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