A 150-kg Asian black bear, an endangered species, was captured by a camera trap in the Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve in Quang Tri Province, north-central Vietnam, a reserve representative said on Tuesday.

The representative stated that the reserve had collaborated with the World Wide Fund for Nature to install camera traps aimed at capturing images of the saola, also known as the Asian unicorn.

Although no saola had been spotted after several months, the cameras did capture images of various rare and endangered species, including the Asian black bear.

The Asian black bear, scientifically labeled Ursus thibetanus, is classified in Group IB in Vietnam, the list of endangered species of forest animals that are strictly prohibited from exploitation and use for commercial purposes.

It is also listed as vulnerable on the International Union For Conservation of Nature Red List.

“The Asian black bear is a rare and endangered species, so a joint effort to protect them is needed," according to the representative.

“We have been adopting various measures to preserve the bear and other rare species caught on the camera traps.”

The camera traps also captured multiple animal species listed in the Red Books of Vietnam and the world, including bald uakari, pangolin, striped rabbit, silver pheasant, and red-shanked douc.

The Bac Huong Hoa Nature Reserve covers over 23,450 hectares of natural forests, is home to a high level of biodiversity, and plays an important role in headwater protection.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!