Bears in Asia are captured for their bile, which is extracted using cruel, painful procedures and sold as traditional medicine. These captive bears suffer in filthy and cramped conditions, often in cages no bigger than phone booths. But the bear bile industry is completely unnecessary – plentiful and inexpensive synthetic and herbal alternatives to bear bile are readily available.
The Bear Bile Industry
Bears in Asia are captured for their bile, which is extracted using cruel, painful procedures and sold as traditional medicine. These captive bears suffer in filthy and cramped conditions, often in cages no bigger than phone booths. But the bear bile industry is completely unnecessary – plentiful and inexpensive synthetic and herbal alternatives to bear bile are readily available.
The bear bile industry causes intense, unjustified suffering to bears across Asia – and you help us put a stop to it
Needless cruelty to bears
Bear bile is extracted in intolerably cruel and inhumane ways, often by people with no veterinary qualifications and little concern for animal protection. Some bears face this cruelty throughout their lives. That can mean 20 years of torture – unless the bears succumb to infection, tumours or self-inflicted wounds. Bears in the bear bile industry often moan and rock due to extreme anxiety. Many have broken teeth from biting on the bars of their cages.
There are remaining challenges that need to be addressed before South Korea’s bear bile industry can come to a complete end.
- Breeding bears for their bile must be prohibited by law.
- The national government must do its part to protect the remaining farmed bears and reach an agreement with the bear farmers.
- Illegal breeding, which occurs on a yearly basis, must be rooted out
Bear bile: our work
We are committed to ending the exploitation of bears in the bear bile industry, and to protect wild bears from a lifetime of suffering in captivity. Our work includes:
- Joining with partners, including governments, global bodies, local partners and individuals, to stop bears being exploited and to create lasting change
- Promoting better welfare for captive bears, while we move to end the bear bile industry for good
- Seeking laws, policies, monitoring and enforcement to ensure that captive bears are given space to move, provided with richer environments and are protected from all forms of bile extraction and exploitation
- Raising awareness of alternatives to bear bile, including herbal and synthetic products, which are readily available, affordable and effective
- Working with local organisations to urge governments to live up to their international commitments to protect bears and other wild animals