Global superstars like Ricky Gervais, Judi Dench and Lesley Nicol show their support and congratulate Animals Asia for their momentous success in moving 101 moon bears across China. The organisation has safely transferred 101 moon bears (or Asiatic black bears) from an ex-bear bile farm in a southern province of China and moved them to its bear rescue centre in Chengdu, China. The 1250 km journey from Nanning to Chengdu has made history in animal welfare, dubbed ‘the largest operation of its kind ever undertaken by any animal welfare organisation’.

“It’s an amazing feeling,” says Animals Asia Founder and CEO Jill Robinson. “We’ve rescued over 600 bears across China and Vietnam in the last two decades, but we have never attempted anything on this scale. (video)

Animals Asia’s long-term ambassador and British actor Peter Egan joins Robinson to share with the public “the best news of the year” with the video he narrated:

“By the time you see this, 101 beautiful moon bears will have been moved for 750 miles from Nanning to Chengdu to take up residence in Animals Asia’s wonderful sanctuary, where they will live out their lives in peace and comfort with great enrichment because of the great team run by Jill Robinson and the wonderful team of Animals Asia. It’s the best news of the year, the biggest movement of Asiatic Bears ever.”