Five ways YOU can help end bear bile farming
- 1/ Tell the world. Animals Asia firmly believes that every additional person who finds out about bear bile farming brings us one step closer to ending the practice.
- 2/ Form a Volunteer Support Group.
- 3/ Organise an event.
- 4/ Sign up and stay up to date.
- 5/ Donate.
Is bear bile farming legal?
Unfortunately, bear bile farming is still completely legal in China. Although there are regulations in place aimed at curbing the worst cruelty, these are often ignored and so far there have been no prosecutions. Bears on bile farms live in isolation and cannot express any natural behaviours.
Where is bear bile farming illegal?
Vietnam
Animals Asia has rescued many of bears from cages barely larger than their bodies, where they cannot even turn around. In Vietnam, bear bile farming has been illegal since 2005, yet a loophole in the law allowed farmers to keep the bears they already owned as ‘pets’.
Is bear bile used in UK?
Dr Jidong Wu, president of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the UK, added: “We strictly condemn and prohibit the use of bear bile. There are countless available alternatives.”
How many bears are in bile farms?
Tragically, over 10,000 bears remain in bile farms in countries in which Free the Bears does not operate. We hope that increasing awareness of animal cruelty and wildlife conservation issues coupled with an end to bear bile farming in neighbouring countries will help push these countries towards eradicating the trade.
How much is bear bile worth?
A U.S. hunter can sell a bear gallbladder for $20 to $120, with the retail price ranging from $75 to $600. Paws fetch $25 to $60 each, while a carcass or hide can range from $200 to $1,500, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
How much does bear bile cost?
A kilogram of farmed bear bile might cost $240, while the same amount from a wild bear could cost $15,730.
What is an alternative to bear bile?
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), the active component of bear bile is used in a synthetic form in Western medicine and can serve as an alternative to bear bile in the treatment and management of certain cholestatic liver conditions.
Why is bear bile a problem?
Bear-bile farming has been widely condemned for being inhumane. The bears are often kept in cages so small they cannot turn around or stand up. Neglect and disease are common. The extraction of bile is invasive and often painful.
Who buys bear bile?
It is estimated that 12,000 bears are farmed for bile in China, South Korea, Laos, Vietnam, and Myanmar. Demand for the bile has been found in those nations as well as in some others, such as Malaysia and Japan.
Is it illegal to sell bear gallbladder?
Bear gall bladder is illegally sold for non-traditional medicinal purposes. The price for an illegal bear gall bladder typically starts between $50 and $200, and depending on the market can end up being sold several times over at prices exceeding $1,000 per organ.
Can you sell bear gallbladder?
