Bear rescued after 20 years in a tiny cage
News
After enduring twenty years in captivity, a dedicated team of wildlife experts and local authorities successfully rescued an adult female bear named Na from a bear bile farm.
Bear bile
Bears all over the world, but especially in Asia, are subjected to a harrowing existence due to the bear bile industry. This cruel practice involves extracting bile from bears for use in Traditional Asian Medicine, despite the availability of humane alternatives.
What is the bear bile industry?
The bear bile industry involves the extraction of bile from live bears for use in Traditional Asian Medicine. Originating in Asia, it has become a significant animal welfare concern due to the cruel methods used to obtain the bile. Bears are kept in small, restrictive cages and subjected to invasive procedures that cause significant pain and distress. This industry persists despite the availability of humane and effective herbal and synthetic alternatives to bear bile.
Although bear bile has long been used as an ingredient in traditional medicine, it was not until the extraction process was industrialised by North Korea in the1980s that it became widely available.
- The industry expanded into China, Vietnam and South Korea and the availability of bear bile led to a growing demand from consumers.
- All techniques used to extract bile cause bears pain and distress. Complications arising from the extraction procedure include painful abscesses, chronic bladder inflammation, gallstones, and ulcerations.
Bear bile products (Photo: Britta Jaschinski)
Welfare issues facing bears in bile farms
Bears in bile farms endure conditions that cause significant suffering. They are confined in tiny cages and subjected to painful bile extraction methods, leading to serious health issues and psychological trauma.
Confinement
Bears are often kept in cramped cages that restrict their movement, causing physical discomfort and psychological distress.
Poor health
The processes used for bile extraction can lead to infections, tumors, and other severe health complications for the bears.
Psychological trauma
Constant confinement and the stress of extraction procedures cause significant psychological trauma. Signs like moaning and rocking are common indicators of distress.
Photo: World Animal Protection / One Touch Connections
The bear bile trade in numbers
Vietnam:
- Sedation and anaesthetization used in bile extraction.
- 2005: Vietnamese government bans bile farming.
- Bears microchipped and registered to prevent illegal farming.
- Significant reduction in bear farming: 95% fewer bears in captivity since 2005.
China:
- Bears kept in restrictive 'crush' cages.
- Bile extracted often without anaesthesia, causing severe pain.
- State-sanctioned industry worth over US$1 billion.
- Over 20,000 bears in licensed farms, plus potential illegal operations.
Global impact of the bear bile industry
The bear bile industry, while predominantly active in Asia, has implications worldwide. In countries like Canada, bears are not typically farmed for bile, but the demand for bear bile products can contribute to a global market that impacts bear populations. This global demand can indirectly affect bears in Canada and other countries, either through illegal poaching or the trafficking of bear parts. It's important to recognize that while the practice of bile extraction might not occur locally in Canada, the international trade and demand for bear bile can have far-reaching effects on bear populations globally.
A better way for bears
There are viable alternatives to bear bile, such as herbal and synthetic substitutes. These options are effective and do not involve animal suffering.
Our work to end bear bile farming
Our commitment includes advocating for legal reforms, raising awareness about humane alternatives, and supporting the rescue and rehabilitation of bears from bile farms.
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