Trip to Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary Educates BIS Parents

Trip to Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary Educates BIS Parents The Friends of BIS parents’ group enjoyed a visit to the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary on Monday this week. The parents gained a better knowledge and understanding of the sanctuary’s facilities, the Community service programmes that are open to BIS students and, most importantly, the issues surrounding bear bile farming and what Tam Dao are doing to try and stop it.

The Friends of BIS parents’ group enjoyed a visit to the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary on Monday this week. The parents gained a better knowledge and understanding of the sanctuary’s facilities, the Community service programmes that are open to BIS students and, most importantly, the issues surrounding bear bile farming and what Tam Dao are doing to try and stop it.

Ms. Hang, the Education Officer at Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary, talked to our parents about bear bile farming and the needless suffering that the bears go through. They were also made aware that there is no scientific evidence that bear bile has any specific properties that can help to cure ailments. In fact, the opposite is true because the bile can actually harm a person’s health due to the dreadful conditions in the farms.

Here, they also got the opportunity to wander around the sanctuary that is now taking care of 184 bears. Everyone was impressed with the dens and semi-natural enclosures that keep the bears safe, healthy and happy.  The sanctuary also has a veterinary hospital, bear kitchen, cub house, and an education center as well as herb garden. While in the garden, they learned that many herbal plants can be used as alternatives to bear bile. These plants are not only effective and safe but more importantly, it also does not harm bears!

Thanks to the successful Young Enterprise project of Year 3 students, an incredible VND 37,843,000 was raised and all of the donation went directly the Tam Dao Bear Sanctuary!

The Friends of BIS have now had an insight into what our students do when they are involved in our Community Service programme and have a firm understanding of why we believe that it is an integral part of our curriculum.