How and why do we integrate rescued bears?

You know how they say 'never work with children or animals'? Well, today's video is an example of how working with bears can be somewhat unpredictable!
Last week our Vietnam sanctuary bear care team was all set for introducing recently rescued bear Noon to established resident P.J. After spending 20 years trapped in a tiny cage on a bile farm Noon was ready to meet his very first friend... or so we thought!
It can seem that once bears are introduced they become instant firm friends, but this video shows that it doesn't always work that way. Even when we've assessed the bears' personalities and temperaments and matched them accordingly, just like with humans, they don't always hit it off straight away.
This video is wonderfully narrated by Ngoc (who can name all 200 bears at the Vietnam sanctuary by sight!) and at 16 minutes it's longer than we usually share.
But Ngoc takes us deep behind the scenes to give an insight into the delicate and intricate process that is bear integration, and finds out exactly how and why we do it at our two sanctuaries.

[@iancannon2825]

Thank you to everyone at Animals Asia for all that you do!!!🙏🏻🐻🌻

[@HKAAF]

Thank you Ian, we couldn't do any of it without our supporters 🐻❤️

[@brendanorris9944]

It must be so scary for these rescued bears as they have been treated so badly when they were shut in small cages alone for many years and haven't had any interaction with other bears

[@HKAAF]

Yes, we can't imagine can we? It must be so strange, they are so brave.

[@marcybabin5467]

I just love what everyone is doing for all the animals that need freedom.I wish I could help,you All are wonderful.M.b

[@precious7365]

Thank you for showing bear integration. It is so fascinating. Dear PJ taking it slowly, as Noon seems a little overwhelmed . This is an amazing day for the bears. Thank you to everyone 💕🐻🐻♥️

[@HKAAF]

Thank you for watching and learning more about the bears' journeys 🐻❤️

[@precious7365]

Wonderful commentary from Ngoc. 🥰

[@brendanorris9944]

Well done PJ you are helping Noon to feel comfortable in your company so hopefully he will soon be playing with you 👍🙏🙏

[@Оля-ы9п]

Health to you and prosperity Animals Asia! 🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️

[@HKAAF]

🙏🌙🐻❤️

[@brendanorris9944]

Thank you so much for keeping us updated on this amazing introduction 🐻🐻

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Brenda, glad you enjoyed it ❤️🐻

[@jackiewright5643]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. As you make clear, the rescue is just a small part of the whole process, so much more work and expertise needed to settle these beautiful bears into a future they deserve and had despaired of. Much love sent to you all at AA for your amazing work, I donate monthly and hope everyone who watches your videos helps in whatever they can afford to enable you to continue and bring the rest of the bears out there home ❤❤❤

[@HKAAF]

Thank you so much Jackie, and for your ongoing support. You make all this possible for the bears and enable our teams to give them the best care possible ❤️🐻❤️

[@Loesters]

Thank you for giving them a choice. They can be their own bear now. I love you for that Animals Asia!! ❤

[@HKAAF]

Thank you ❤️

[@cathymoune4040]

Merci pour ces videos très intéressantes qui nous apprennent tant de choses sur la vie des ours ! ❤❤

[@HKAAF]

Thank you for watching, we're glad you found it interesting!

[@carriebradley7634]

Thank you for the lesson. It's so good to get insight into the behaviors. And I love how you allow the bears to have choices in absolutely everything! FINALLY they can decide where, when, how..... I can't imagine what they are thinking. After yrs of horrific conditions with not a single choice in any moment of your days for years and years! Now, they may not be technically free, but they are free in the most important of was! CHOICE!!! May God bless all of you at Animals Asia, for your love, dedication, and hard work! ❤️

[@HKAAF]

Hi Carrie, we're glad this came across because that is exactly what we strive for: to give the bears as much freedom and as many choices as is possible 🐻❤️

[@agnesolsvik]

❤ From Norway ❤ I love Bears and I will keep donating❤

[@michaelsullivan5548]

This video was really informative. Great stuff AA eternal thanks for all your hard work looking after these beautiful moon bears 🐻.

[@martiwilliams4592]

Thank you!!!!!!!

[@HKAAF]

🙏🌙🐻❤️

[@fastgurrrl]

Had to pause at 7:00 to say, RESPECT.

[@HKAAF]

😊🙏

[@sandinielsen4401]

Thank you for sharing the bears initial integration. It is good to see how they friend up at their speed. Congratulations on the lovely clear sound. I know English has so many different sounds which can make it very hard to say. Thank you for helping these beautiful bears. ❤

[@HKAAF]

thank you Sandi, we're glad you enjoyed it, thanks for your kind words about the team, too 🐻❤️

[@Geolstud]

I appreciate the explanation of what the team is doing and how integration works. ❤ Thank you for caring.

[@monacordova6923]

Thanks as always for sharing. I hope PJ and Noon become good friends. ❤

[@ingabening1779]

Great work, great bears, great team, thank you so much!

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Inga, glad you enjoyed it ❤️🐻

[@aljwham]

Thank you for your hard work and love.

[@gigihoover3330]

Just found this channel and subscribed immediately. Glued to the screen now...Ngoc, your narration is keeping me hooked! What a wonderful organization. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication. ❤

[@HKAAF]

Thank you for subscribing, Gigi!

[@mataform]

Thank you for your wonderful work. I will start donating.

[@HKAAF]

We so appreciate that! Every donation makes a difference and allows us to keep rescuing bears.

[@laurencelemoine8333]

Thank you for sharing. This process is fascinating to watch ❤❤❤

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Laurence, glad you enjoyed it!

[@peterng25]

Wonderful. Thanks for the fantastic report

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Peter, glad you enjoyed it ❤️🐻

[@andykerr3803]

Very good, we can only assume these bears were in small cages with little movement possible hooked up to tubes that drained their gall bladder... Maybe not, but when you have seen the 'factories' that can contain 20K bears in shiny modern aluminum cages it is hard to forget. Good job here 👍

[@marthavaltierra7155]

Thanks for sharing

[@HKAAF]

🙏🌙🐻❤️

[@pseudononymouse]

Fascinating. Thanks.

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Kent, glad you enjoyed it ❤️🐻

[@fastgurrrl]

Ty so much, it's all so fascinating!

[@HKAAF]

Thanks Jodie, glad you enjoyed it!

[@blueheelersunite]

That was great thanks. Very informative and gives you a warm fuzzy feeling that their first interaction went well❤

[@HKAAF]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@markcardwell]

Poor things. Whenever I see Ellie and Viet i know bears are coming first! Love you guys,❤❤❤ im a Bear Buddy ❤ And just watched the video Super Job! ❤

[@greenman6141]

Amazing and important work.

[@angiemacri4386]

This is so amazing to watch…thank you for all that you are doing💖

[@RevelationStation227]

Thank you❤

[@vallee3140]

Maybe a daft question but are all the bears neutered?

[@HKAAF]

Not a daft question at all! The males are neutered yes, we are very limited on space and are focused on rescuing bears who are still on bile farms so the bears don't breed at the moment.

[@vallee3140]

@@HKAAF ah I think it a good idea, they have had enough trauma and getting pregnant might be just too much, bless them.

[@amandabright6773]

Thank you for sharing. How do you react if the integration goes badly, need to separate them? X 🐻 ❤️ X

[@HKAAF]

Hi Amanda, the teams are highly trained and have protocols to intervene and separate the bears if it goes really badly... which is very rare 😊

[@julieduree9210]

Is this where they’re kept? Cement floor in a small cage? Hmmm

[@HKAAF]

Hello, the bears live in these dens so they can have a sheltered space away from the open enclosure which they can access. We use the dens to observe the bears closer if they have any health concerns we need to check on. Thank you.💚

[@RevelationStation227]

Yay!🎉

[@lindaulloa4786]

What do you do if the bears were to fight to keep them from hurting each other?

[@HKAAF]

Great question. We take a lot of time and care to integrate bears with those we think will get on. This means that disagreements are very rare but of course they can occur and we deal with it as and when.

[@vallee3140]

Have you ever had bears fighting in integration??? and if so how do you separate them.

[@bezaubernd65]

❤❤❤

[@mo1912]

what if the bears don't get along

[@HKAAF]

We have safeguards in place to ensure that they can be separated if they do not get along.

[@jojobegood]

❤❤❤🫶 BRAVISSIMO

[@HKAAF]

🙏🌙🐻❤️

[@vallee3140]

Another daft question, I dont see any name tags anywhere? do the staff call them by name? and if so are they easily identified?

[@HKAAF]

Yes, our staff members refer to the bears by their names. We keep a detailed directory of each bear we have at our sanctuaries.

[@vallee3140]

how wonderful to know they have names and not just a bear thanks.@@HKAAF

[@blueheelersunite]

What can you do if a bear can't integrate with other bears

[@HKAAF]

Hi, this question will require some additional information from our team. Please email us at [e-mail] and a member of our team will aim to get back to you shortly. Thank you.

[@upasaka-wolfram]

🤎🙏🐻