Bear Bile Farming — Current Status and Reform

Despite international pressure, approximately 20,000 bears remain on bile farms in Asia, enduring some of the most extreme suffering documented in any farming system.

Key Facts

Asiatic black bears (moon bears) and sun bears are the primary species farmed
Bears are typically kept in cages so small they cannot stand or turn around
Bile is extracted through catheters, open wounds, or surgically implanted fistulas
Bear bile contains ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) — now synthesized pharmaceutically
China has approximately 12,000 farmed bears; Vietnam 1,200; with smaller numbers elsewhere

Welfare Considerations

Bear bile farming represents one of the most extreme forms of animal suffering currently practiced. Bears are often confined for their entire lives in crush cages that prevent any natural movement. The bile extraction process causes chronic pain and infection. Bears show severe psychological trauma including rocking, head-swaying, and self-mutilation. The active ingredient UDCA is now cheaply synthesized and available as a pharmaceutical, making bear bile entirely substitutable. The primary obstacle to ending the industry is cultural and economic inertia, not medical necessity.

What You Can Do

Donate to Animals Asia Foundation which rescues bile bears and campaigns for reform
Avoid all traditional medicine products that list bear bile as an ingredient
Support diplomatic pressure on countries that permit bear bile farming
Choose synthetic UDCA medications when prescribed — they are medically identical
Spread awareness that herbal and synthetic alternatives fully replace bear bile