Wildlife

Bear Bile Farming: Welfare and Alternatives

Bear bile farming subjects thousands of bears to chronic pain and severe confinement, while proven herbal alternatives make the practice medically unnecessary.

Key Facts

An estimated 12,000-20,000 bears are kept on bile farms in China and Vietnam
Catheter insertion or cage-milking causes repeated trauma and infection
Ursodeoxycholic acid, the active compound, is now synthesized cheaply and identically
Many Asian medical practitioners actively support the transition to synthetic alternatives

Welfare Considerations

Bears on bile farms suffer from liver damage, peritonitis, muscle atrophy, and severe psychological distress. Stereotypic behaviors including head-swinging are prevalent. Animals rescued from farms require years of rehabilitation before showing normal behavior.

What You Can Do

Avoid traditional medicine products containing genuine bear bile
Support organizations rescuing bears and advocating for farm bans
Choose products certified free of bear bile
Advocate for diplomatic pressure on governments to ban bear bile farming