Bear Rescue Centre, Luang Prabang

Big bears!  The Sun Bear is the little one on the left and beside it, is the Asiatic Black Bear

Allan is a bear guy. Elephants may be my favorite animal in the world but bears, they are one of Allan's favorites.

Feeding time!

When I mentioned seeing the bears at the Rescue Centre, just outside of Luang Prabang, he was like a little kid at Christmas.  We were also lucky that the Rescue Centre was about 20 steps from the Kuang Si Falls so we got to do two great things at once.

Like monkeys, the bears are not liking the camera flashes.

The Asiatic black bears are native to Asia and historically have been horrifically mistreated and caged in extremely small cages all because of their bile.  See, their bile is used in a lot of traditional medicinal treatments and medications.  The Sun Bear, which is a very small bear and less studied, was actually being slaughtered in many Cambodian restaurants to make Bear Paw Soup.

Who knew that bears like bananas too?

The rescue centre, along with other centres in Cambodia, Vietnam and Australia are giving some of the bears a fighting chance at having a new life.  Though the bears rescued will never be released back into the wild, they now have a safe, and fun, place to live out their days.

Bears everywhere!

Seeing the bears playing, eating and interacting with one another was a sight I will never forget.  Nor will Allan, I'm sure.

I like bears

For more info on the Bear Rescue Centre, check out the following www.freethebears.org.au/web/About-Us