Bile bears (also known as moon bears) are endangered bears that live it the wild. However in many places, such as China, they are kept, locked up in cages that are to small for them. They are kept, because their bile (taken from the gall bladder) is extremely valuable, and is used in lots on things such as medicine.
Farmed bile bears are often malnourished and in poor health, living to an average age of five years; healthy captive bears can live until age 35 and wild bears live to 25-30 years. If the bears live past age five, they are most often killed around age 10, since by then their productivity usually drops off. They are then sold for their meat, fur, paws and gall bladders. Bear paws are considered a delicacy, and have been seen priced at $250.
Farmed bile bears can suffer from a variety of physical ailments which include loss of hair, malnutrition, stunted growth, muscle mass loss, and often have their teeth and claws extracted.
The Consequences
Living for 10–12 years under such circumstances results in severe mental stress and muscle atrophy.
Animal Welfare
In July 2000, Animals Asia Foundation, signed an agreement with the Chinese government to remove endangered Asian black bears from bile farms in Sichuan province and work towards ending the practice. Today, the China Bear Rescue has placed many previously farmed moon bears at a Sanctuary in Chengdu, and is helping to advance the concept of animal welfare in China.
On most farms, surgery to enable bile extraction is carried out by farm owners with no veterinary training. During illness, drugs are sometimes administered, but when they are not effective, bears are commonly left to die.
Chinese specialists in bear farming techniques inform that for every two successful bile fistula implantations, there are another two or three bear deaths due to complications and infections.
Between the ages of five and ten, bears may stop producing bile. They are then put in another cage, where they wait, either until death comes through sickness or starvation, or they are killed for their paws and gall bladders.
Farmed bile bears are often malnourished and in poor health, living to an average age of five years; healthy captive bears can live until age 35 and wild bears live to 25-30 years. If the bears live past age five, they are most often killed around age 10, since by then their productivity usually drops off. They are then sold for their meat, fur, paws and gall bladders. Bear paws are considered a delicacy, and have been seen priced at $250.
Farmed bile bears can suffer from a variety of physical ailments which include loss of hair, malnutrition, stunted growth, muscle mass loss, and often have their teeth and claws extracted.
The Consequences
Living for 10–12 years under such circumstances results in severe mental stress and muscle atrophy.
Animal Welfare
In July 2000, Animals Asia Foundation, signed an agreement with the Chinese government to remove endangered Asian black bears from bile farms in Sichuan province and work towards ending the practice. Today, the China Bear Rescue has placed many previously farmed moon bears at a Sanctuary in Chengdu, and is helping to advance the concept of animal welfare in China.
On most farms, surgery to enable bile extraction is carried out by farm owners with no veterinary training. During illness, drugs are sometimes administered, but when they are not effective, bears are commonly left to die.
Chinese specialists in bear farming techniques inform that for every two successful bile fistula implantations, there are another two or three bear deaths due to complications and infections.
Between the ages of five and ten, bears may stop producing bile. They are then put in another cage, where they wait, either until death comes through sickness or starvation, or they are killed for their paws and gall bladders.