Asian black bear
Along with sun bears, Asiatic black bears are the most typically used species in areas where bears are either used in performances or as pets. Asian black bears have an outstanding learning ability in captivity, and are among the most common species used in circus acts. According to Gary Brown:
Free the Bears Fund
The Free the Bears Fund (FBF) is an Australian charitable wildlife-protection organisation. It was started by Mary Hutton, after she watched a documentary in 1993 on bears kept in small cages for bile farming. The fund was registered as a not-for-profit charity on 23 March 1995. The Free the Bears Fund supports animal welfare projects in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, working with rescued and confiscated Asian black bear ("Ursus thibetanus"), Sun bear ("Helarctos malayanus"), and Sloth bear ("Melursus ursinus"). A sister charity Free the Bears UK was established in the United Kingdom in 2010.