Two moon bears, Yuna and Bubu, are finally touching grass in Suffolk. After a grueling 5,000-mile journey from Vietnam, the pair arrived at Jimmy’s Farm & Wildlife Park this week, marking the end of a years-long international effort to pull them from the brutal bile-farming industry.
These bears didn’t just move house; they escaped a life of cramped cages and painful extraction. In many parts of Asia, moon bears are kept in “crush cages” for their bile, which is used in traditional medicine. For Yuna and Bubu, the Suffolk countryside represents the first time they have ever experienced a natural environment.
Jimmy Doherty, the park’s founder, hasn’t hidden the scale of the logistics involved. The operation required months of planning, specialized transport teams, and a mountain of international permits.
“Seeing them step out into their new habitat is why we do this,” Doherty told reporters at the site. He noted the bears are currently settling in, exploring their wooded enclosure and showing signs of curiosity rather than the distress often seen in rescued animals.
The rescue was a joint effort between the wildlife park and international conservation groups. To accommodate the new arrivals, the park constructed a bespoke “Lost Lands” habitat. It’s a massive upgrade from the concrete floors and iron bars the bears have known since they were cubs. The new space is designed to mimic the mountainous terrain moon bears naturally inhabit, complete with climbing structures and foraging areas.
The bears are now under 24-hour observation by a dedicated veterinary team. They’ve spent years in poor health, and the transition to a new climate and diet must be handled carefully.
The public won’t see Yuna and Bubu immediately. The park is keeping the habitat closed to visitors for a “settling-in” period to ensure the bears don’t feel overwhelmed. For now, the only sounds the pair have to get used to are the rustling leaves of their new Suffolk home.
