On the occasion of Endangered Species Day 2014, celebrated actress and passionate wildlife advocate Dame Joanna Lumley joined Animals Asia to spotlight the plight of the endangered Moon Bear. Lending her captivating voice, Dame Joanna tells the deeply moving and ultimately uplifting story of Dawn, a moon bear who suffered for twenty long years on a bile farm in Vietnam. Recognized by Animals Asia as “the most traumatized bear” in their 25-year history of rescue efforts, Dawn’s story is a remarkable testament to resilience.
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Rescued from dire conditions, Dawn has, over the past year, undergone a remarkable transformation under the care of Animals Asia’s bear experts, in the organisation’s sanctuary in Vietnam. She has blossomed from a life of pain into one of joy and health, becoming almost unrecognizable compared to her former self.
Animals Asia has documented this extraordinary journey in a compelling video narrated by Dame Joanna Lumley. By sharing Dawn’s story, Animals Asia seeks to ignite a global conversation on protecting the endangered Moon Bear and ending bear bile farming, championed by Dame Joanna Lumley’s unwavering commitment to the cause.
“Seeing Dawn’s transformation from a life of darkness to one of hope and happiness is a profound reminder of the resilience of those magnificent animals and the power of compassion,” said Animals Asia’s long-time supporter Dame Joanna Lumley.
“This video not only tells the story of one bear’s journey to freedom but also calls on each of us to act and help end the cruelty of bile farming. I am so proud to stand with Animals Asia, an organisation poised to eradicate the centuries-long practice of bile farming in Vietnam and rescue the remaining bile bears in the country. Together, by supporting this vital cause, we can provide these endangered animals with the dignified life they rightfully deserve.”
The Healing Journey of The Most Broken Bile Bear
In February 2023, Animals Asia saved Dawn from a bile farm in Phung Thuong – the epicentre of bile farming in Vietnam. Forced into a barren cage as a young cub, she languished in the same confined, dark space for 20 years, day after day, year after year.
In the early days at Animals Asia’s sanctuary in Vietnam, Dawn was visibly distressed and agitated by the presence of humans. Having known only abuse from humans, her instinct was to turn away whenever the sanctuary staff came near. She was often head-swaying, a stereotypical behaviour of mental trauma. The organisation’s bear experts noted that Dawn exhibited extreme “learned helplessness” – shutting down emotionally, curling tightly into a ball, and flinching at the slightest sound. It was one of the most severe cases of psychological trauma they had ever witnessed.
Dawn also suffered from severe physical ailments typical of bile bears, including hypertension due to years of fear and suffering, broken canines from biting her cage bars in attempts to escape, arthritis in her spine caused by decades of confinement in a small cage, and an inflamed and infected gallbladder, damaged by long-term catheter use to extract her bile. It was evident that she had been neglected and mistreated, as her fur was sparse, and her body was emaciated.
However, over the past year, through gentle rapport-building and confidence-boosting activities, Animals Asia’s team have slowly but surely won Dawn’s trust. Delicious treats coaxed her interest, and enrichment toys sparked her curiosity and playfulness. Today, she has blossomed into a joyful, confident bear. So remarkable is her transformation that even the founder of Animals Asia, Jill Robinson, who rescued nearly 700 bears, couldn’t believe her eyes that it was Dawn who eagerly leapt first into the enclosure at playtime.
“It’s hard to believe Dawn is the same frightened little bear who came through the sanctuary gates just over a year ago,” said Robinson. “Today, she has a life she never dared dream of: grass under her paws, the breeze ruffling her fur, and a love she’d never known warming her heart. Dawn’s journey is a testament to the resilience of the spirit and the healing power of kindness.”
A New Sanctuary in Vietnam to Leave No Bears Behind
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) says over 44,000 species are threatened with extinction. Two of these species, Asiatic black bears (aka moon bears) and sun bears, have been pushed towards extinction by cruel bile farming and appear on the list of species “vulnerable to extinction.”
In 2017, after years of careful negotiation, Vietnam’s government agreed to end bear bile farming once and for all and signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Animals Asia, naming the charity their official partner in bringing the industry to a close.
Last year the organisation inaugurated its third and the country’s last bear sanctuary to rescue approximately 200 remaining bears on farms. Once the last bear is saved, this trade will be history for Vietnam and will set a precedent for other countries in the region to follow.
Featured image: Animal Asia
