Where Do Vietnam’s Bears Still Survive?
Vietnam is home to two remarkable bear species: the sun bear, the smallest bear in the world, and the Asiatic black bear, also known as the moon bear. Both once roamed widely across the country’s forests, but today their presence has become far more uncertain.
This report set out to answer a crucial conservation question: where do wild bears still survive in Vietnam today?
Researchers surveyed 22 protected areas across the country, interviewing 1,441 people in 106 villages. By combining local ecological knowledge, village mapping, and direct evidence such as tracks, claw marks and camera trap records, the study aimed to build a clearer picture of where bears remain and where populations may already have disappeared.
The results highlight a worrying trend. Bear populations have declined dramatically over recent decades, driven largely by hunting, snaring and the demand for bear bile and other body parts. In many areas where bears once lived, evidence of their presence has become rare. Among respondents who commented on population trends, 98% believed bear populations had declined over the last 10 years.
Yet the report also provides hope. Bears are still hanging on in some of Vietnam’s forests, particularly in remote protected areas where habitat remains intact and enforcement is stronger.
For organisations like Free the Bears, research like this helps guide conservation action. Understanding where bears still survive allows conservationists to focus protection efforts where they are most needed, strengthening patrols, supporting wildlife authorities and working with communities to reduce threats.
Mapping where bears remain is a critical first step in ensuring these iconic animals continue to survive in Vietnam’s forests.
Publication authors: Crudge, B., Wilkinson, N.M., Do, V.T., Cao, T.D., Cao T.T., Weegenaar, A., and Hunt, M.