Two tiny moon bears rescued from wildlife traders

Two vulnerable Asiatic black bear cubs, also known as moon bears, have just been saved from a terrible fate in the illegal wildlife trade.

Law enforcement in Luang Prabang confiscated the tiny cubs on the morning of 11 March 2026, after they were discovered being offered for sale by wildlife traders.

After receiving the call from authorities, a rescue team from the Free the Bears Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary team immediately mobilised to bring the cubs to safety.

The cubs are believed to be just two months old, an age when bear cubs should still be safe in their forest den with their mother.

“Sadly, the reality in cases like this is that the mother is usually killed so the cubs can be taken,” says Matt Hunt, CEO of Free the Bears.

“These cubs are still incredibly fragile, weighing less than 3 kilograms each.”

“Our team at Luang Prabang Wildlife Sanctuary will be caring for them day and night over the coming months.”

The cub pair are Free the Bears’ first rescues of 2026, and their 169th and 170th rescues in Laos overall. Their rescue comes shortly before the first anniversary of the closure of Laos’ original bear bile farm, and the 2nd anniversary of the world biggest ever rescue of threatened bear cubs.

These two little bears have now arrived safely at the forest sanctuary’s cub nursery, where experienced wildlife carers are providing round-the-clock care.

Because the cubs are so young, they require milk formula every few hours and constant monitoring to ensure they make it through.

They will now begin their long recovery at the sanctuary, and if they cannot be safely returned to the wild in the future, they may live under the expert care of Free the Bears for 30 years or more.

The rescue highlights the ongoing threat of the illegal wildlife trade to bears across Southeast Asia. Bears are stolen from their mothers in the wild and trafficked as illegal pets or trapped on bile farms where bile is painfully extracted from their gallbladders for traditional medicine. What follows is a painful life, spent confined to cages barely larger than their bodies, and unimaginable physical and psychological trauma.

Free the Bears is working to change this awful reality, helping rescue more than 1,000 bears in 30 years. With more rescues happening every year, they now operate the largest bear sanctuary network in Southeast Asia.

Supporters can help provide the specialised care these cubs now need by donating to support their rescue and recovery here.