Bear Bile Farming: Welfare Crisis and Alternatives

Thousands of bears on bile farms in Asia endure permanent captivity in crush cages to extract bile, despite plant-based and synthetic alternatives being widely available.

Key Facts

An estimated 10,000-20,000 bears are held on bile farms across China, Vietnam, and South Korea
Bears are typically confined in cages so small they cannot stand or turn around for years
Bile is extracted via permanent abdominal fistulas causing chronic pain and infection
Ursodeoxycholic acid, the active compound in bear bile, is synthesized cheaply from plant sources
China has committed to phasing out bear bile use, with legal alternatives available for all medical applications

Welfare Considerations

Bear bile farming represents one of the most severe sustained animal welfare crises in practice today. Bears confined in permanent crush cages experience profound physical and psychological suffering from surgical procedures, infections, and chronic confinement. The absence of any need for this practice - given cheap, effective synthetic and plant-based alternatives - makes it a welfare harm that is both severe and entirely unnecessary. International pressure combined with domestic Chinese reform has reduced the industry's scale, but thousands of bears remain in these conditions.

What You Can Do

Avoid Traditional Chinese Medicine products containing bear bile
Support organizations like Animals Asia working to end bear bile farming
Advocate for import bans on bear bile products in your country
Support Chinese government efforts to accelerate the phase-out of bear bile farming
Donate to organizations caring for rescued bears from bile farms